Match of the Millennium

Description: Below the volcano, a new nemesis awaits those who have stormed the laboratory and fought their way through to its core. What final experiment does the facility's diabolical head researcher have in store for his guests?

[ATTICUS]
The first thing that you notice as you follow the red stripe to the end of the white-walled corridor that leads to the Executive Office is the sound of Billie Eilish thumping distantly from the other side of the waiting airlock door. A telecom device adjacent to the office's entrance greets you in an electronic female voice.

<< Welcome. Doctor Blaine is ready to see you. Please step through to the decontamination chamber before entering the Executive Office. >>

What lies just beyond is a short corridor, within which a fine mist is applied to all who pass through to ensure that cross-contamination between laboratories doesn't occur. Don't worry; it's perfectly safe for anyone who isn't a bacterium.

Beyond the airlock-style doors at the other end of the decontamination chamber lies the private chamber of Doctor Atticus Blaine. Perhaps surprisingly, the massive, white-walled space resembles a laboratory more than an office. Specimen tanks full of blue liquid line the left and right walls of the room. A thin mist seeps into the room through the grated steel floor. The room is lit by fluorescent fixtures along a dark ceiling, and the chamber is cast in cool tones by the tanks and by the bank of computer monitors showing various feeds that line the wall above the desk in an elevated workspace at the back. The monitors display views from drones and hidden cameras around the island, as well as the interior of the research station itself - including the hall that you've just travelled down.

You are expected.

A figure is sitting on the steps that lead up to the work area: a dark-skinned man wearing only a pair of khaki dress pants, the rest of his clothes strewn around the workspace. His head is lowered; the rest of his body is visibly swollen with muscle mass - especially his left arm, which has begun to turn grey and is covered in pulsating veins. A large, yellow eye stares out of his left bicep at you as you enter. His entire body seems to expand and contract with each deep breath.

"Oh, good," the man says, his natural baritone tinged eerily with additional tones as he speaks. "You've finally found me."

[BRAUN]
Braun is looooong past the point of 'I have had enough." in regards to the happenings on this hell-hole of an island that has served as the stage for this insane series of events. Stranded, starved, scorched, forced into battle against monsters and other assorted forms of mayhem and then attackd by an abomination of funk and style.... Enough is enough.

Yet ven with all of that in mind, h'es still forced to simply stare at the sight infront f him once he finally lays eyes on Atticus and sees..well...all of -that-.

"What the ...Wes Craven's Nightmare is -this-?!" he bellows out upon seeing the condition of the scientist and the results of wild experimentation gone...well..completely wrong from Braun's perspective bu probably oh so right from Attitucs.

"You know what? Nevermind. I don't even wanna know the story anymore. I just want -out- of this and if it's through you....so much the better!"

The energy he'd amassed during the brawl with Omega Zack had long drained away during the rapid trip towards the office of Attitcus, but it doesn't take much effort to fire it back up again. Adrenaline and anger are running hot and furious within him and with a sudden burst of supernatural energy explodes about him in a blast of red hued lightning which transforms his body right on the spot into his enormous battle-cat form.

As the energy settles downf rom his enhanced form, he immediately goes down into a crouch, bracing one immense arm against the floor of the chamber as he leans in ..and then starts forward in a surge of violent motion towards Atticus!


[AYALA]
Ayala hadn't had the easiest time of it either. She could usually provide for herself if she had to, even if the Earth's flora and fauna were a bit different than the ones she's knew. Trying to keep a big guy like Braun fed though was a different story. No wonder the poor guy might be hungry. Her blonde hair buffeted by the wind of the decontamination airlock, Ayala blinked as she stepped out into the harsh laboratory light and the pale blue glow of the capsules inside. This was just like the place she had been in, she thought--and with rising, dawning horror as she beheld the individual who used this secreted away chamber.

The nightmare that awaited her and Braun in the depths of this place were another thing she'd likely see repeated in dreams for some time to come, if not forever. She shuddered after looking at the huge eye growing out of the man's shoulder.

"Ayala not know what that is--but she not like it--lets go!" she looked around for something to grab and wield or throw at the thing, trying to steer clear of Braun's battle-cat bulk as they rocketed toward the monstosity!

[BUCK]
To see Buck in a truly furious state is something that not many have ever had the chance to witness. The guy is normally a bundle of optimism and positivity, but today, today he's just plain heckin' mad. Worse it shows on his face, as his abilities seem to be reacting to his mental state. His eyes are a sharp golden yellow, and his teeth deffinitely look sharper than they normally are as he flexes his hands, obviously itching for a fight. Even more incongruously, the shifter in his ragged shorts and coyboy boots, with his wide brimmed hat on his head also has a rocket launcher strapped to his back. Who thought giving him that piece of equipment was a good idea is anyone's guess.

As they step into the lab slash office he growls under his breath. "Atticus you slime, I have a bone to pick with you for what you did to my friends." Even in his angry state he still can't quite manage to curse though, that would be asking too much of the country lad.

The smile returns to his face as he sees Braun transform, but it's not his usual smile, this one is almost vicious and distinctly predatory. "You been holding out on us, bud. Right behind you!" Thick claws burst from his finger tips as he crouches low, ready to launch himself into the fray right behind the lion man.

COMBATSYS: Buck has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Buck             0/-------/------=|

COMBATSYS: Braun has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck

COMBATSYS: Ayala has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Braun            0/-------/-------|

[HOMURA]
Skiddd!! Homura bursts through the glass decontamination chamber. If he waited for the decontamination process to finish, it's not entirely clear, nor is it entirely important (nobody was even looking at him, ano..) The boy charges in, spitting distractedly as he waves off a fresh decontaminant bath, uttering some very select PG cursewords. His mouth was open.

"Ano--!" Homura objects, sounding tinny and ineffectual from somewhere behind all the tawny, angry man and womanmeat in front of him. Really, if you aren't looking for him, he is really easily lost in the crowd. He really knows how to interject. "Where are we going! Why are we listening to someone who is probably just leading us into a -- Eeeh?! This is the guy? Did his arm just wink at me???"

Oh yes, Homura just now has noticed the very swole swollen exec in their midst, 900% muscle and tax evasion. The boy blanches, pointing accusatorially. "What is everyone around here's problem with shirts!?" -- urp. "A--aah, present company excluded." He's really just about the only one, isn't he...

"Ah, I guess it can't be helped," the shugenja grouses. "Myo'o isn't going to like it, but this is the problem with trying to get anything done during a tournament..."

Inches and feet of lethal, gleaming steel hiss from their scabbard as the boy draws a cold edged sword, smiling brightly even in the darkest chagrin.
"...Some unmindful guy's always hiding behind it all, getting in the way of fate."

He really does make an effort to look cool for the moment, right up until a tiny little click-click can be heard in his sealed hand. Yes, he still has the pen. Yes, he's still keeping it. Just because bikini science officer Uhura decided to double or triple agent doesn't mean she gets off the hook with Homura and get her pen back. No mercy.

COMBATSYS: Homura has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Homura

[MAX]
Under normal circumstances, Max would have preferred to find some alternate way into this final confrontation. Walking through a single narrow entrance into the lair of a villain that is very obviously waiting and ready for them goes against just about every instinct the Gear has, both animal and human. But with the facility being underneath a freaking volcano the idea of crawling through the vents isn't particularly appealing. That's just the kind of thing a megalomaniacal nutcase like their foe would plan for! And, while she is quite resistant to non-magical threats, getting bathed in fresh magma is probably pushing the limits of her supernatural durability.

As such, she finds herself standing amidst the rest of the small strike team, quietly hoping that the 'decontamination' chamber isn't set to hose them down with acid or something equally horrific like a practical villain would do. Fortunately, Atticus apparently hasn't read that Evil Overlord list.

"I dunno," the small girl chimes in cheerfully as the much larger cat-man reacts to the scientist's glow up. "I'm getting more Quinton Tarantino vibes from this one. He looks...juicy."

Braun's sudden transformation forces Max to scoot backwards a few steps, shielding her face from the brilliant burst of light. When the spots fade from her vision the Gear's neon eyes go wide with sudden admiration at her hero's savage appearance.

So much muscle! And fur! And those -fangs-!

Sorry, Buck, a -real- warrior is here who needs a proper sidekick!

Sadly, her own change had taken place well before they arrived at the scene, the Gear on high alert as she scouted ahead of the group for ambushes or other hidden dangers. No dramatic transformation scene for her this time. Instead, the girl's chest puffs up a little as she tries to make herself look a bit bigger. Scampering forward she crouches beside Braun, leaning on one of his beefy calves, and bares her tiny fangs at Atticus with a snarl that's more adorable than menacing.

"Yeah," she growls, supporting the various claims of vengeance and anger coming from the rest of the crew. "We're gonna... wah?!"

Apparently lacking the patience for banter, Braun hurls himself into the fray before she can get more than a couple of words out. Max staggers backwards from the force of his lunge, flopping onto her backside with wide eyes. Her recovery is swift, however, adjusting to the aggressiveness of her idol.

"Right, less talking more butt kicking!"

Rolling onto all fours, the Gear hurriedly scampers to catch up - though not so fast as to overtake the hulking angry warrior. Instinct tells her better than to get caught underfoot when an older and bigger animal is on the hunt. Instead, she darts off to one side, swinging around to flank Atticus in a wide circle, ready to distract and harass or capitalize on any opening made by their burly bruiser.

COMBATSYS: Max has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Homura
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Max              0/-------/-------|

[ROXANA]
Roxana wouldn't admit this, but she is scared. Shortly after being chomped on by a fearsome frog, she and Coco were swept away into a helicopter, like two celebrities late for a publicity shoot. As she stared out of the window of the chopper, constantly wondering whether Junko would strike them down in a flurry of flames, she contemplated what could possibly wait for them at their destination. As they landed close to the PrimoGen research facility and prepared to face their next challenge, she felt a sense of familiarity. Of course she's never been here before, but it's the sort of building that's recognisable to the Nebraskan. She grew up with two scientists as her guardians and the world of research and experiments is one that's part of the very fabric she's made of.

As Team Toxique make their way to the building, Coco goes left, whilst Rox takes the route to the right. She can't help but get a glimpse of bodies through the glass along the way. Thankfully none of them belong to NFGers, but nevertheless, it's a stirring sight. She's grateful when they locate five of their fellow fighters. Wondering where her favourite competitor, Kenzo, and his partner, the kind and considerate Ishida are, she can't help but fear the worst. So they didn't seem to be amongst the slain, but they could still be wounded. She's also aware that the film star of few words, John Doe, has been involved with their efforts on the island, but he too seems to be absent from the group. Now is not the time to dwell on what damage may have been dealt though, now is the time for action.

As they move onwards, Rox recognises the song 'Bad Guy'. She's heard it many times before, playing on the radio, but here it seems out of place and slightly sinister. She'll likely add it to her tracks of songs never to listen to again, along with S.O.S. by Abba. The magnificent seven are greeted by a clinical voice, encouraging them to progress into the next area to follow protocol. She carries out the instructions without question, feeling the mist coat her honey-coloured skin, that's bare other than her bikini that's seen better days.

From here, they proceed into their true destination, where lying in wait for them is a striking sight. Specimen tanks line the walls, sending a chill that is felt far deeper than the Persian woman's exposed flesh. More mist greets them here, as does a man. No, more than a man, this creature is also clearly part monster. Assessing his form, Roxana takes in his bulging body and replies simply to his simple statement. "Yes, we have."

Reactions are stronger from some of her companions. Braun compares their host to a horror movie character. One who he has no hesitation in leaping to attack. Likewise, his fellow 'Big Game Hunter' is eager for battle. Rox hasn't met Ayala before, but of course she recognises her from the first season that the Gear girl was such a fan of. Buck is also obviously in the mood for action. Rox realises that he seems to have a rocket launcher strapped to his back. "Wherever did you get that?" She can't resist asking him. The American male addresses the man with the eye in his arm as Atticus. Aware they must have met before, their reaction to his presence starts to make more sense to Roxana. They've done something to his friends? Wait! Does he mean Kenzo, Ishida and John Doe? Her black eyes flash with panic.

Whilst contemplating this prospect, Roxana's musings are interrupted by the dramatic arrival of Homura. "I think his arm might have just winked." She whispers back to him, pulling a horrified expression, that seems out of place on her usually serene face. A flash of steel is spotted by the scorpian-woman. Another one who's come ready for combat then. He's even got a pen. Odds on it's one of those devices that are often found in Bond movies. Max seems to think it's more of a Tarantino vibe though. Either way, it's likely to feature a high volume of violent content.

What does Roxana choose to do amidst so much chaos? For now, nothing more than focus on getting her breathing under control, before her body starts to shift and reshape. Black chitinous armour forms over the top of her head, upper face, shoulders, arms and legs and she develops claws, pincers and a tail. She's still unmistakably part human female, but she's also starting to resemble a predator.

COMBATSYS: Roxana has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Homura
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Max              0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0           Roxana

[COCO]
While the NFG fighters' time on Zack Island has undoubtedly been a nightmare, and they might still be charging to meet their imminent deaths, Coco at least has been able to tick a few things off of her bucket list as follows.

1. Meeting Zack.
2. Competing in a keijo match on actual* Zack Island.
3. Putting on a bikini while riding in a helicopter and surrounded by both friends and strangers.

She hadn't realised the last one belonged on her bucket list until circumstances forced her to do so, of course, but it was certainly one of the most harrowing and thrilling experiences of her life (and probably the lives of everyone who had to share the helicopter with her while she did so). Such were the consequences of being airlifted directly out of an encounter with an acid-spewing mutant creature.

For her part, Coco took the route that led past the Containment labs. She'd gotten off easier; the carnage that had been visited upon those had largely been environmental. Someone had punched straight through a wall, and several empty specimen tanks and much of the monitoring equipment had been smashed apart. Most fortuitously, she'd spotted a familiar smartphone lying on a desk marked as belonging to 'Dr. Lisa Hamilton.'

"Karma's a bitch, you phone-snatching science skank," she'd muttered, reveling in the ruptured livelihood of the slightly-less-mysterious stranger.

"Tune," Coco comments upon arriving in the decontamination chamber to the sound of Billie Eilish thumping in the background. "Oh, thank God, a shower!" she comments as she's subjected to the antibacterial mist, spinning around with her arms outstretched to make sure she gets every angle hit. "Hey, I wasn't finished yet!" she shouts at the ceiling (presumably that's where the AI lives) when the spray cuts short, leaving Coco and her black sling bikini only lightly coated. "And your water pressure sucks! Totally docking a point for that on my TripAdvisor review."

A shiver runs through the slightly damp bikini-clad Brit as she steps through to the chamber beyond. Not at the temperature - it's actually starting to get a bit warm in this underground base - but at the psychic presence that she immediately senses upon entry.

"Why are there... two of them?" she murmurs as she squints at the figure looming in the poorly-lit laboratory. She spots the eye - and then it hits her.

"Oh. Oh. Oh my God."

Her expression turns serious as she steps forward, not quite as recklessly as the others, but still positioning herself as a challenger to the bizarre fusion of man and alien. "What the fuck are you?" she demands to know.

* Kind of.

COMBATSYS: Coco has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Coco
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[ATTICUS]
As the hulking beastman barrels down on him, the similarly swollen scientist lifts his head, revealing that half of his face has been disfigured by the parasitic infection that's ravaged his statuesque physique, the left eye left milky and pupilless. Yet, despite the audible labour of his breathing, he's on his feet within the space of a split second. A slick tendril snaps out, and Braun is sent skidding harmlessly past Atticus, who rises up to reveal that his full height rivals that of the German giant.

"I'd say John Carpenter and The Thing would be a more appropriate reference," the mutated mastermind's roiling baritone rings out around the room, "but I'll forgive it. I always get those two mixed up."

<< Release sequence will begin in one minute. Thirty second release interval has been selected. Preparing Specimen Container One. >>

"Imogen, less verbose, if you would," the scientist slurs.

<< Entering quiet mode. >>

One of the incongruous potted plants kept by the scientist next to the doors comes sailing toward Atticus courtesy of Ayala, only to be swatted out of the air with a swing of the man's transmogrified right arm. "I have a hunch that you two prefer action movies to horror, anyway," the monstrous man of medicine muses aloud as he rolls his neck with a series of pops. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let you fast forward to the action sequence, but I'll keep my villainous gloating scene brief."

The man chortles as Buck shows his anger toward him. "Come, now. You and your friends broke into my place of business. If you'd all left well enough alone, Project Osiris wouldn't have had to be deployed. At least, not so soon. More on that, though -"

There's a terrible high-pitched whine from a secondary mouth that's appeared in the scientist's shoulder. Mercifully, it only lasts for a few seconds.

"Trust me, I prefer multiple shirts on a good day," Atticus declares to Homura, gesturing with his tentacle-tipped right arm to the discarded dress shirt and cardigan on the floor next to him, "but mine shrank in the wash, and with that firebird making the volcano its playpen, it's getting too hot in here for sleeves anyway." His eyes narrow. "Is that my pen?"

Max isn't addressed directly by the scientist, but the feline-flavoured Gear finds herself watched by the man - specifically, by an eye that's formed in the back of his right shoulder before her very eyes for the purpose.

Clarifying on behalf of his biological guest, Atticus calls out to Roxana and Homura, "It doesn't wink; it's just blinking. Winking isn't in our nature."

He smirks as the fourth shapeshifter into the fray begins to adopt a battle form. "I'm not sure I could have asked for a better group to confront me. You'll all provide a truly diverse genetic banquet for my new companion."

He sneers at the purple-haired Brit. "Most of you, anyway. But to answer your question -"

Atticus lifts the index finger of his still-human hand as the song loops back to the chorus, bowing his head slightly.

'I'm the ba-a-a-ad g-u-y-y-y...'

And then, as if on cue, moans start to come from behind the group - and then shambling bodies appear, lurching out of the mist of the decontamination chamber. The antibacterial spray seems to cause the bloodied and battered corpses to twitch as they pass through it, but doesn't seem to be enough to deter the parasites piloting the re-resurrected zombies.

"Now," Atticus says with a strangely amicable smile that turns into a predatory grin as the flesh of his monstrous right arm starts to shift and surge, "let's eat."

COMBATSYS: Atticus has joined the fight here as a boss!

COMBATSYS: Atticus calculates his next move.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-------
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Coco
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Zombie Horde's Strong Punches.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-------
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Buck
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Coco
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[BRAUN]
"Whoulfgh!"

Getting hit with a slimey tentacle infront of his biggest fan and her cool mentor? Embarrassing. Braun tumbles and then goes into a sliding skid, sparks flying as his claws dig down to arrest his movements regain control after that dismissive throw that could have been quite more violent had Atticus wished it.

"I -thought- about Carpenter's Thing..." he growls out upon catching his breath, "I just didn't wanna give you the satisfaction o'being compared to it!"

Buck finally does get an acknowledgement from the burly beastial bruiser in the form of a big fanged grin. "Sorry - it takes a lot o'effort to amp up like this... I need a bit of drive to pull it off and this hodenkobold has driven me over the edge!"

H'es so angry that the german slurs are starting to roll out, his accent even breaking through. For pretty much all of the NFG Braun has held that in check but it's almost like he briefly channled an Andore through him as his fury builds. Congrats Atticus.

He inclines his head towards Max briefly, offering her a quick finger gun like gesture, but then returns his attention to the disgusting and now towering frame before him "Yeah, yeah, fast forward. I was just trying to save you the embaressement of doing a super villlain monologue. I like getting right to the point.." he drawls out."

He prepares another leap - but his senses are sent reeling, his nostrils flaring with the scent of death and his ears twitching fro the shambling of the horde before they come spilling into the room and towards the gathered group.

"Was solls!" he blurts out, still apparently rattled enough to growl out swears and exclamation in his native tongue as a zombie comes tumbling his way and brings a battered limb down him towards in a wildly powerful club like strike that Braun is only -just- able to reach up and deflect and even then barely. As his body tumbles backwards he uses the momentum to go into a tumble to push away from the zombie, dragging his arm around in a wide sweeping arc as he does so and cutting a gouge of black and red energy as he does so which launches violently at the monster.

"If you're trying to tire us out, it won't work!"

[AYALA]
Ayala blinked as the flower pot she heaved at the strange mutated man was bashed into nothing with one swing of his giant deformed appendage. She briefly shielded her face from any flying fragments and debris with both arms, the rush of hair blowing back the blonde curls. When she was certain she was not getting any shards of glass or rocks to the face, she lowered her arms, grimacing at the monstrosity before her, and even more confused as to the fact he could /talk/. It wasn't the first time she had run into something that wasn't human that could, but not on this island. All the other monsters she'd run into here with Braun and co. were more like animals...

"Ah! Zom--guh, can't say that word," Ayala had been told it was impolite to use it for such creatures as these, ever since running into JD. She was still able to maintain a degree of decorum, even if she wasn't a cavewoman. These didn't look like the civilized sort of ghouls, however, so that meant they were all for huntin', so to speak.

"Braun, watch out!" the cavewoman followed her battle cat ally into the fray against the zombies, throwing some punches, kicks and trying to throw a few of them around, less biting this time--that was generally not the best idea with the undead. Biological/scientific or otherwise.

COMBATSYS: Buck blocks Zombie Horde's Strong Punches.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Coco
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[BUCK]
"Huh?" Comes Bucks first response to Roxanna, looking over at her then to the rocket launcher on his back. "Oh, from the security locker." He says, motioning back in the facility the way they came. "Looked useful." That last part comes out with something of a vicious grin, which only gets more amused as he sees Coco enter. Oh, this will be an amusing fight. The kickboxer never fails to make for a great occasion, especially when he tongue gets sharp.

He doesn't blame Max for abandoning him from Braun, he's a bit of a fan of his fellow gen wunner himself. "No need to apologize, bro, just kick his backside." He calls out after the lion man.

HE just sneers at Atticus however, "Well, you ain't getting your slimy hands on any of us." He says as one of the zombies comes for him, deflecting the wild swing with a raised arm. "And word of advice? Don't underestimate Coco." Yeah, no disrespecting any of his fellow NFGers, completely uncalled for.

He knows one way to upset a scientist is to strt busting up their equipment along with their experiments, so while the others go on the attack he reaches over and grabs a microscope off one of the lab tables. And anyone who has taken high school science labs know those things are way heavier than they look. The Oklahoman pulls his arm back, and tomahawk throws the scientific equipment at one of the opening canisters and its occupant. "We're gonna bust this place up and burn it to the ground!"

[HOMURA]
"Michaels," Homura corrects Ayala helpfully from somewhere in the back, scratching his head with the clicky end of the pen idly, the motion causing his shades to tilt. "I think that's what they're supposed to be."

Then the doctor notices said pen. "---uh." Homura seems a little put out at being put on notice, as if caught red handed. It LITERALLY has the PrimoGen logo on it. Th, this is awkward. "Um. Nice.. blink, then?"

The zom--michaels are literally shambling up behind them as he tries to decide how best to handle this. After a terse, moment, the boy leans over to Roxana without looking. ("Hey... um... should we make a movie reference or something? What's a Carpenter's Thing? -- hey--") "--wah!" She became a scorpion! Or -- summoned an armor! This is really too much.

"I guess it's hard for anyone to be who it is they really are, isn't it.."

The air moves, and Homura is gone.

Saa, I don't know whose poor souls got caught in these specimen tanks, the boy thinks, as his coat floats in midair as it settles, a flash of white and red reflected in another as that child leaps off of one. Fan-shaped carnation petals float in his wake, as his body flickers, shimmering out of existence for a s[plit second as the boy inverts, twisting in the air.

The German beast king was rebuked pretty soundly by that guy's tentacles, but Homura aims to be much, much smaller. The glint of light is almost too easily missed.

"...but if I thrust through your face straightaway, it shouldn't matter, right?"

Solid logic uttered from the boy in midair, the ikari kissaki of his sword lifted, aimed, and braced through the nock between his thumb and forefinger right down the director's centerline. Like a little flower bullet, the boy intends to put the silverlight of his sword into the man's forehead and be done with this whole... frankly, scary situation.

Failing that, someone has to distract the director long enough for the German to put him in a spinning beer piledriver, right? That's got to be a thing he knows. Look at that guy!

[MAX]
"Nnngh..."

As a shapeshifting monstrosity herself, Max is far more resilient to the body horror shows on display, both those of Atticus and her allies. But just because the slimy eye that emerges from the director's shoulder doesn't disturb her, that doesn't mean it doesn't bother her. No predator likes being stared at while on the hunt and one of her primary tactics is misdirection and distraction. If her prey can simply see in all directions at once that puts something of a wrench in those plans.

"That's cheating," the girl grumbles, coming to a halt well out of range of the flailing tentacle that sent Braun for a loop. Her tail lashes back and forth in irritation, a pensive expression settling onto her face. But even as she considers how to approach this new challenge, yet more flies start dog-piling into the proverbial ointment.

The helpful reminder of the pleasant AI voice draws Max's attention to the ominous specimen tanks lining the walls. She'd figured they were just standard decor for an evil scientist, since every movie villain had pretty similar interior design, but it sounds like this would-be super villain went the extra mile and prepared a menagerie of fresh horrors to unleash.

"Really glad he didn't read that list," she mutters, eyeing the over half dozen tanks lining the walls.

Braun's encouraging gesture doesn't go unnoticed and a fierce smile forces its way past the irritation on her face, even as yet another unexpected surprise comes spilling out of the entryway. She had scouted the facility pretty thoroughly to avoid just such a scenario. Atticus must have had them squirreled away in some sort of hidden chamber to have them arrive so quickly. Something to look out for in the future.

Back to the matter at hand, it seems some tactical prioritizing is in order. Braun and the strange cave woman seem to be dealing with the zombies. Considering her own experience with them she doubts the cannon fodder will withstand the catman's claws for long. Her mentor and she seem to be of the same mind that dealing with the containers -before- they can disgorge whatever freak show has been incubating within is a smart idea.

Leaving Homura to his courageous attempt to one shot the big bad, Max whirls around and zeroes in on the nearest of the big vats. She has absolutely no idea which one of them is going to open first; even if they had convenient labels on them she wouldn't trust those to be accurate. Which means they'll just have to bust as many of them up as possible before that timer finishes counting down!

Lunging at her target, the Gear draws back one of her giant paws and folds it into an equally giant fist. Punching the glass keeping whatever is inside contained seems like a poor idea - she'd probably just release the damn thing early. Instead, she aims a colossal haymaker at the machinery connected to the incubator, presumably controlling its life support or at least the release mechanisms.

"And mom said watching all those movies would never come in handy!"

[ROXANA]
As Coco comes up besides her, Roxana gives her a slight smile. "What the fuck is he indeed?" She echoes.

As Atticus turns to reveal his damaged face, Rox finds herself shuddering. The scientist casually fends off an attack from Braun, all whilst bantering about horror movies. Imogen hints at what's to come for the septet, causing the Nebraskan to turn her head sharply towards the containers, and sending her braid swinging in a somewhat lethal looking fashion.

When the scientist references his blinking bicep eye, Roxana looks towards Homura. "Winking or blinking. It's still downright weird." She mutters. Perhaps a bit rich for someone who is currently half scorpion. "I'm not too hot on movie references. George Romero? Alfred Hitchcock? David Lynch?" She's really just naming directors who have a knack for creating creepy content, without having any idea if it's relevant to their current situation.

No sooner has the scientist started his crazed karaoke than the moans and groans of his undead army can be heard. Maybe she's got a point by mentioning Romero after all! "Have you fought them before?" She questions the five fighters who were previously at the PrimoGen complex before she and Coco arrived. "If so, got any top tips?"

Buck seems to be ready to wreck the whole place and if that's what it takes, Rox can live with that. Where to begin though? Atticus seems the most obvious threat, but the containers likely need to be controlled, and then there's the creatures who wanna feed on them and she's over that, following the hungry frog on the radio station roof.

Moving up next to Max. Rox tells her. "I'm glad we finally get to fight alongside each other." With that, the other Gear girl is whirling away towards a container, leaving Rox to contemplate her next move.

COMBATSYS: Roxana focuses on her next action.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Coco just-defends Zombie Horde's Strong Punches!!

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Braun            0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[COCO]
Coco's eyes narrow at the look and comment sent her way by Atticus. Such a deliberate slight would never slip past the purple-haired Brit. 'Catty pass-agg' is practically the local dialect in Chelsea, after all.

"Hey! I'm not actual aristocracy, babes! My genes are flipping bomb, mate!" she declares, bridling audibly.

As she hears a moaning sound behind her, Coco perks up slightly. "Hawksley?" she asks, wondering if her paramour has been at the booze again, before turning around to instead see a uniformed man with an evidently broken neck lurching toward her, attempting to club her with an overhand blow. "Eww, gross!" Coco says, recoiling as she brings her arms up protectively. The undead security trooper's movements are slow, and it's an easy matter for her to simply deflect the bludgeoning fist with a smack of her hands and a twist of her waist.

"Yeah! Don't estimate Coco, bitches!" Coco echoes Buck's praise as she draws in her fists, chambering her left fist before unloading it rapid-fire into the zombie's face and body. She'll follow the combination up with a right cross, then a left hook, and finally ducking and rising into a powerful right-handed uppercut to the jaw!

COMBATSYS: Atticus blocks Homura's Oni Accel.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Buck successfully hits 1st Container with Large Thrown Object.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: 3rd Container blocks Max's Hammerblow.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
1st Container    0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[ATTICUS]
"We'll see," Atticus intones in response to both Braun and Buck, the layers of his voice becoming somewhat sibilant as the shift takes steadily greater hold over him. There's a slight twitch and a grimace from the man's face at the sound of grass cracking and some fluid spluttering out of the container marked '01' as the microscope slams into it. "Burn it down if you will -- but you won't escape!" the dark-skinned scientist declares.

Then, seemingly at the last moment as Homura's blade is about to stab into his disfigured face, it's intercepted --

*SCHHLLLK*

-- by a mass of motile flesh - what would have previously been identifiable as a left forearm, now flowing with countless teeming possibilities. Blood seeps out of the thin wound before the limb is withdrawn with a slight backward step from the scientist.

"I'm not a problem that easily solved," the monstrous man of medicine mutters menacingly as he glares down at the shugenja, before suddenly thundering toward the man who first decided to start smashing the containers of his creations, lashing out with a tentacular left limb to try and loop it around a leg and toss Buck up toward the ceiling!

The feminine voice crackles over the speakers as the damaged first container drains of fluid before opening with a hiss.

<< Speciment #1: 'Wraith' now active. Initializing Specimen #2; release in thirty seconds. >>

Blood trickles on the ground as a shimmering shape slithers through the mist, setting its unseen sights on the nearest of prey as it snarls in near-obscurity!

COMBATSYS: 1st Container has left the fight here.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
                                  >  //////////////////////////////]
                                  |-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Wraith has joined the fight here as a left henchman!

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Wraith focuses on its next action.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|------=
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Braun successfully hits Zombie Horde with Shockwave Claw.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde blocks Ayala's Tooth & Nail.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [    |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde blocks Coco's Screwdriver.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [      |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|---====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Zombie Horde's Jab Punches.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [  |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------------                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [      |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|---====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[BRAUN]
There's just....way...way too many 'adds' here!

Braun tumbles backwards into a ready stance as his energy rips across the battle field - carving through the monstrosities surging their way, sending some bodies tumbling and some limbs flailing into the air. But still they come.

His gaze darts around the chaotic landscape, searching for an opening in the horde to try and close ranks with Homaru on Atticus but the would be creatures of the night surge in yet again and he's forced to spin his massive body around, bringing both of his furred forearms up to cross infront of his torso as a series of sickening strikes come lunging in towards him from a trio of the zombies that pull in on him before he can gain enough distance to redirect the focus ofh is attacks.

"Hrngh...we'll see alright..." he gurmbles under his breath. They have considerable firepower on hand but the sheer numbers at the disposal of Atticus runs the risk of crashing over all of them if more savage and rapid tactics aren't taken to clear the room. And that's to say nothing of whatever is going on with these containers. He very much hears that feminine voice, warning of the continued impending arrival of reinforcements to the offense of the good doctor. Something's gotta give.

"Well I guess I'll just have t'keep playing Slaughterhouse then I guess!" rumbles the makai blooded beastman and he pushes back against his attackers with a wide sweep of his claws - and then lunges in at them while spreading his arms wide and then clamping them forward in a vice like bear hug attempt. His enhanced size grants him the capability to sweep up not one but several of the monsters attempting to assail him and he pushes in with his bulk, attempting to crush them against his frame and then leaping upwards into the air with them in a spiraling launch that takes him towards the ceiling. The air is filled with slashes as he spins, a whirlwind of jagged scythes through the air as he spins and then comes downward towards another part of hte horde in his own custom slam! One part Izuna drop, one part spinning pile driver! Hopefully if all pans out - the throw and the impact will do its job in scattering that horde!

COMBATSYS: Atticus successfully hits Buck with Power Throw.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------------===                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [      |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|---====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[BUCK]
"Advice?" Buck mutters as he glowers at the opening cannister. "Don't hold back or we'll get overwhelmed." He crouches low, ready to go into a charge as one of Atticus' tentacles loops around him. "Aww.. heck." IS all the country boy can manage as he tries to slip free with no luck.

There's a solid crack as he slams into the wall, looking only a bit rattled for the moment, but as usual, he's a tough cookie. "Meant to do that." He growls through gritted teeth, but if that tentacle thinks its getting off scott free from assaulting him, well, it's got another think coming. If it even can think, but if an arm can have an eye a tentacle can have a brain.

He flexes his hand and attempts to smash the tentacle between his open palm and the wall, over and over, each swing of his hand leaving a burst of sticky webbing behind as he simply tries to keep that particular appendage in place for a while and from doing anymore damage for the moment.

[AYALA]
Oh that's just friggin' great...

Ayala blanches as she quarrels with a few of the zombies, their bodies being more resiliant to her strength than she had at first assumed--not like JD really, at all. His body had been strange, sort of alive, but also cold. These things didn't react to pain at all, which made her first few attempts at striking awkward, and she had to grab one and throw it over her shoulder to get it out of the way to deal with the oncoming numbers. It was about that point she realized the containers were starting to drain--letting even more creatures out?!

"Braun, more escaping from tubes--argh--" she punched hard into the neck of one of the zombos and felt the bones give away with a pencil-snapping sound that sickened her. The chin of the undead man might have jerked downward in response, but still it came. Ayala instead reared back to give it a smack with her right forearm to try and knock it down.

"Grah--how can we stop things in tubes?!" she sounded just a bit more frantic than before. Who knew what was going on in there--she didn't want to run into more froggy friends like out in the jungle if this is where they were coming from!

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde successfully hits Homura with Jab Punches.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------------===                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [      |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Homura           0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[HOMURA]
Things were going well, if you were to look at the glass as a quarter full. Homura's alpha strike was, of course, designed to put a stop to the whole 'mutating beast' sort of problem, but he wasn't really counting on an entire wall of flesh that used to be a forearm coming in and tanking the hit for his blade. The boy's steel sinks in deeply, a lightly troubled frown creeping across his face as Atticus stylishly rebukes him.

"Ugh... so cool, yet unmindful..."

The boy is thrown away, almost as an afterthought, as the director surges off to deal with and savage other members of the cast, and while the motion is .. relatively subdued in only the kind of titanic way only a surging mass of biotech flesh could be, the boy still catches quite a bit of air with it, tumbling slowly away as if he weighed nothing. It's a short-lived sensation, really, as he tumbles end over end into the fracas with Ayala, landing only to find himself michaelpiled in short order. "!"

biff pow bam duff "aah! ow! Aren't you guys supposed to bite!"

The boy's face is just barely visible over the mosh pit and zombie jamboree he's caught in. There's not really any sort of strategy here, the boy has to sort of slip his way -- this way "excuse me!" -- and that -- "umph! pardon, gomen--!" and finally "-- ano!"

It takes a bit of doing, but the boy finally manages to grapple with a (smaller) michael, pushing and bullying his way out of the pile while fists and feet and bites fly, ducking seamlessly as Ayala throws a body overhead. He tries to get one of them right on the end of his blade, pushing the curve right up against the pesky michael, before trying to use the beast as a head of steam to go running right into the nearest specimen tank. One swift flying kick later followed by a silver-lined stab all the way through! If he gets the angle just right, the boy is going to lunge the blade through the michael and into the instrument panel!

It actually bears noting that Homura, being the pro-michael sort, is not trying to kill the violent little guy in as much as he's trying to jam the control mechanisms from the tank, on his way back to trying to murder Atticus. WAIT!

"--Yeah!" He feels the ground shake from a king-grade body slam. "Just like that!" Homura points out, pointing at Braun's custom slam. "Did you see it?!" He looks back at the michael for validation.

"O--oh. Ack!" Homura is still in trouble, and promptly devolves into a slapfight with a zombie, trying to hold him off by the head, face, and body with an arm and a whole leg.

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde successfully hits Max with Jab Punches.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------------===                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0              Max
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[MAX]
The resounding crash that usually accompanies planting her fist through fragile machinery fails to manifest much to Max's confusion. She withdraws her meaty paw from the console and peers at it, finding the controls only slightly dented from the strike. What the heck is this thing made out of?!

Drawing her arm back to swing again with a determined growl, the Gear's ears suddenly prick up as the zombie horde surges into the room to blanket the entire battlefield with rancid bodies. She leaps backwards as a pair of former scientists lunge at her from behind leaving nothing but cold metal for them to sink their rotten teeth into. A quick look around shows that everyone is struggling to handle the sheer mass of flesh pressing in from all directions. Her gaze shifts back to the damaged container even as the pleasant computerized voice warns them of another impending release, indecision flickering across her face.

She hardly has a moment to think before another group of zombies come rushing at her, overwhelming her with sheer numbers. Many blows are deflected by the bio-weapon's swift movements and heavily muscled forearms but several swipes manage to slip past her defenses and score direct hits on her face, neck, and back. It looks like the decision has been made for them, no one is going to be able to focus on dealing with potential threats while this gaggle of gangrenous goons is chomping at their heels.

"Destroy their heads!"

Seeing as only she and Buck have any experience fighting this particular foe, it falls upon them to offer guidance to the others. Max's mentor seems to be a bit too preoccupied to give any specific advice so she helpfully takes it upon herself to offer a demonstration.

Kicking free of the swarm, the Gear lunges forward in a powerful pounce that tackles one of the zombies to the floor. Wicked claws dig into the fetid meat as she bears it to the ground and tucks into a roll, dragging the moaning undead along for the ride. Two quick spins later she thrusts her feet straight up and releases her grip sending the hapless zombie flying across the room to, hopefully, splatter on the first hard surface it comes in contact with.

"Or rip them apart," she adds helpfully, bouncing back to her feet. "You pretty much have to tear them into confetti to make them stop moving."

COMBATSYS: Roxana blocks Zombie Horde's Jab Punches.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------------===                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0              Max
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[ROXANA]
As Roxana is considering tactics, Coco is putting on an eye-catching display of defence. She's more than capable of standing up for herself, and confident in the fact that her mentor has things covered, the Gear girl gets herself together to attack. First though, there's some zombies to fend off!

Bending over backwards into a bridge position, the nimble Nebraskan lifts her legs to push away the punches of the undead. Her rapid reaction means that their jabs have little impact on her armoured limbs.

From here she flings herself into a forwards roll, heading straight for the nearest container, with the intention of crashing into it!

Whilst in motion, she's aware of some of the activity around her. Buck slamming into the wall above, the adjacent container releasing a hissing creature, and Max yelling out the advice the scorpion-woman solicited. "Heads! Got it!" She calls out. "Or the confetti thing!" The second sentence slips out, just as she's about to collide with the container!

[COCO]
The zombie that found itself on the receiving end of Coco's fists staggers with each blow, eventually keeling over on its back after the final uppercut. Nevertheless, the bloodied security trooper's corpse starts to slowly rise to a seated position, overcoming its rigor mortis with sheer determination.

The blossoming smirk on Coco's lips fades, a slight pallor crossing her features in the cool light of the laboratory as her mind starts to contend with the scope of their plight. She looks back at the hissing tank as it releases one of the creatures she encountered at the radio station into the battle, shudders at the memory of the Chameleon Queen's acidic tongue. She can sense more of the creatures in the remaining tanks. And yet, the undead are a more immediate problem - individually, perhaps less dangerous than the hybrid bioweapons, but their numbers make them a threat to everyone in the laboratory aside from their master.

"Take out the zombies first, I think!" Coco shouts as she attempts to grab one of the zombies that's going for another fighter by the shoulders and hop up onto it, then clamp her thighs down on either side of its head and twist her hips violently, intending to snap its neck and send it into one of its fellow undead!

"And we need to smash those bloody containers before they all hatch!"

COMBATSYS: Atticus dodges Buck's Spin Doctor ES.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------======                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

COMBATSYS: Roxana successfully hits 2nd Container with Scorpion Roll.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------======                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: 4th Container blocks Homura's Strong Kick.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------======                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0    2nd Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: 2nd Container has left the fight here.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------======                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
7th Container    0/-------/-------|


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Predator has joined the fight here.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------======                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
7th Container    0/-------/-------|


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Predator         0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0           Homura
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Predator has joined the fight here as a right henchman!

                              ATTICUS                              
  [ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|---------======                
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [     ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

[ATTICUS]
As Buck tries to get a hand on the extended tentacle, the slippery appendage slithers out of his grip, retracting into its owner's arm unharmed. Atticus holds an icy smirk in Buck's direction as he stares down the metamorphic first-season fighter, his own shifting limb reshaping as a blade of bone juts out from the mutant arm's business end in the tentacle's place. "Good advice," the scientist rumbles. "Though it won't save you."

There's a hiss from the other side of Buck as the mist parts around a silhouette, the monster that was released previously appearing as a shade for only a moment before a glob of sizzling saliva comes spluttering through the air toward the shapeshifter!

Meanwhile, the container marked '02' sparks as the mass of whirling chitin and claws that is Roxana crashes into it, an arc of electricity passing through the creature inside as the lock mechanism is released. A bipedal green creature emerges, sizzling with the scent of fried frog as it opens its shark-like maw, holds its claw-tipped upper limbs to either side and lets out a hideous, unnatural shriek. It sniffs the air, locking its bulbous eyes on the source of the scent of frogshark goo across the chamber - then launches itself toward that source, aiming to slam body-first into the slap-fighting shugenja!

Not to be forgotten, though, the hulking mutant scientist suddenly charges recklessly across the rattling grates, aiming to stab the end of his bone-blade right arm into Ayala!

"DIE!"

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde endures Braun's Cyclonic Driver.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----------====                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [        |||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Ayala successfully hits Zombie Horde with Swift Backhand.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----------====                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [          |||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     1|-------|=======
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Max successfully hits Zombie Horde with Cat-a-pult.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----------====                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [            |||||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     1|-------|=======
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde endures Coco's Singapore Sling.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----------====                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [               ||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     1|-----==|=======
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Zombie Horde's They Just Keep Coming.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [    |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----------====                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

[BRAUN]
They just keep coming...

This really is a war of attrition isn't it. Braun's impact is thunderous and devestating. Body parts are sent hurtling through the air, zombies are flattened under his tremendous weight or sundered by the whirling slashes of air caused by his rapid movements and jagged claw strikes ... bu tit doesn't seem to be -quite- enough.

No sooner has he rebounded upwards and then back down again from his room shaking impact, does he touch down right into the middle of another mass of the critters.

He slips upon ichor, nearly falling ou tof his battle posture as he sips and slides, mane and tail whipping about, as he attempts to right himself just in time for the shambling horde to descend upon him. His hulking physique being somewhat more top heavy then usual isn't helping matters either but just in the nick of time he corrects his stance and twists his body about to bring up his arms in repeated blurring movements to blunt and block the cacophny of strikes coming at him. More then a bit of luck was involved there and he's still forced backwards yet more and away from easy means of closing in to help his battle comrades.

But that doesn't keep him from seeing what's happening. Atticus is a blur, dashing across the chaos towards his fellow Big Game Hunter with that jagged bone blade lunging for her in what could be a devestating strike. "Ayala!" Braun thundres, trying to shout a warning her way in enough time for her to react. As he does this, he pushes forward, bounding low into a leaping crouch and then blasting ahead at the horde that just assailed him liek some sort of shell fired from a battleship cannon. "Hang tight!! I'm coming!"

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Ayala with Impaler Morph.
- Power hit! -

                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Ayala dodges Zombie Horde's They Just Keep Coming.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======|

[AYALA]
Zombies however Ayala does know a thing or two about, from back home... they're slow, just run away from 'em--it's a strategy that works out as Ayala makes some distance from them, only to turn and spot the now hulking and mutated Atticus bearing down on her. She reached up to grab the giant bone-claw arm as it beared down on her, gritting her teeth as she holds onto the claw-arm with both hands--until the struggle goes in Atticus's favor--the claw plunging into her shoulder and left side, pushing her back into the wall.

"Grrrr--" she keeps those pearly whites gritted and growls, her eyes flashing up to the mutated scientist's face as she pulls her right fist back, balled and tries to send it crashing into him again and again into him, trying to get free from being impaled against the wall, or at least give him some incentive to give her back some distance.

COMBATSYS: Predator successfully hits Homura with Battle Hop.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                |||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Homura           1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===/=======
[HOMURA]
"Hey -- stop trying to punch! -- so violent! Agh! You're terrible!"

Homura currently has his hands full with the michael, who is currently being very unstylish and is more trying to pummel the boy angrily. You see, Homura's sword is stuck in the unfortunate chap's belly, sticking him to the specimen tank. This puts him at a bit of a disadvantage, however, stuck pushing the gray and growling guy back by the face against the tank when he's the victim of an ambush!

Well, it's not really an ambush, as there's important warnings. "Ugh. What's that smell? Like ... moldy cabbage in a stew pot --kuoh!!"

The boy is promptly mashed into a Homuwich between a furious frog and a mad michael, bellrung for what feels like an eternity before he clocks what happened. "Ah, come on, not you guys again!!" Homura complains, as he absorbs at least two more punches before -- blip -- slipping all the way through the third, using the hilt of his sword as a fulcrum to flip up, still buried in the containment tank's control panel before a flash of silver light flares in his hand. "You guys--"

-- Homura stabs at the frog with his PrimoGen Executive Class Clicky Pen, lighting it up with a little flash of light, to fend him off --

" -- are really --"

-- then he elbows at the trapped zombie in the head, to keep him from biting him while the boy perches on the hilt of his blade --

"-- in need of some serenity!"

Talk about enduring hardships for your art. Really, Homura is hanging on by a thread out over there, fending off all manner of rude guys surrounding him while trying to keep an eye on the fracas. He is about to launch off the two and let them fight eachother so he can get back to the business of chasing down and killing that pesky director, until one of the cuter ones yells about smashing the containers. "Ghh--"

This is disagreeable, but fine! The boy twirls that pen and without looking, reverse stabs the tank behind him, silver light flaring from the little click part. Ostensibly, he's going to punch all the way through it and into the creature's head inside, but it's admittedly a tall order, with his sneaker on the head of a frog, standing on the hilt of his sword, and pinning a grey gobbler down with his other hand.
"I don't have enough blessings for this!!"

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde successfully hits Max with They Just Keep Coming.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [               ||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ayala            0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Homura           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===
                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [               ||||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-----==
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Homura           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/----===
[BUCK]
Buck shakes his hand after smacking it into the wall instead of a tentacle, just glowering in return at Atticus. Enough that he doesn't notice the mist congealing behind him and launching a.. hey, wait, that's his trick. Foul play. He raises his arm against the spit, hissing a little as it still splatters against him. "Think you're funny, huh?"

Instead of going in for the attack, he hops backwards putting some distance between himself and the misty monster. "This is getting messy." He growls under his breath, a thick tail slithering out from behind him. Despite coming under attack, he looks like he intends to keep up with his original idea and keep smashing up canisters.

As spikes sprout from the tip of his fance new reptilian tail, he swings it around like a hammer, intending to smash the spikes right into one of the containers.

[MAX]
Max has hardly a moment to breathe between shouting out her advice and being swarmed by a large gaggle of zombies. Guess they didn't appreciate that. Sheer mass makes it impossible for her to slither free of the nightmarish tangle of limbs and teeth and the small Gear vanishes underneath a pile of squirming dead flesh.

Rotten nails slash at her skin while parasite-enhanced fists smash and twist as the creatures tear into her like a bunch of frenzied piranha. While she can't experience pain, per se, her body is practically flooding her mind with sensory feedback that briefly overwhelms her, like a thousand tiny bullhorns all screaming 'OUCH' at once. If allowed to continue this situation could get bad very quickly. Becoming zombie-chow was NOT on today's to-do list.

It takes a few seconds of effort to readjust her position beneath the pile. The zombies fight her every step of the way, pulling at her arms and legs as she tries to twist them towards her body and slowly shift into a fetal curl. With a mighty heave, the bio-weapon tenses her limbs and then floods them with power as she kicks and pushes in all directions. The explosive burst of strength all but hurls the bitey bastards in all directions like a bomb just went off, sending corpses raining down around the room like an unfocused artillery strike.

Staggering to her feet, Max grimaces as she inspects the damage done to her body, finding almost every inch of exposed skin covered with bloody pink teeth marks and nasty scrapes. Her clothes have been reduced to a mess of tattered cloth soaked with saliva, more of her strange pink blood, and gods knows what else. Disgusting.

"Definately going to have to get mom... to break out the iodine for this one," she says, turning to glance around and see how everyone else is doing. "And a truck load of Band-Aids. The ones with unicorns on them."

COMBATSYS: Roxana counters They Just Keep Coming from Zombie Horde with Deadly Scorpion.
- Power hit! -

                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/-------
[ROXANA]
The Gear girl gets a look at the expression on her mentor's face. She can hazard a guess what Coco is thinking. After all, she was by the Brit's side in their last two encounters with the creatures from this lab. Just as the advice comes in from her Toxique teammate, Rox gets a chance to use it! She's just finished crashing into the container and releasing the croaker, when a female zombie dressed in a pants suit makes a grab for her black braid from behind, trying to pull her into striking mode.

Catching her attacker's arms with her pincers, the scorpion-siren starts to squeeze them with all her might. As the dead woman slumps, Roxana whacks her repeatedly with her tail until she stops twitching.

She hears the word serenity being spoken and turns towards Homura just in time to see him trying to multitask. "You can handle it!" She calls out in encouragement. "We all can!" She then registers the reptilian tale on the Southern shapeshifter. "Amazing." She remarks in admiration.

COMBATSYS: Coco blocks Zombie Horde's They Just Keep Coming.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------=========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/-------<

[COCO]
Between the lethality of her thighs and the rigidity of the zombies' bodies, Coco's head-scissor maneuver manages to break her undead adversary's neck cleanly, leaving its face pointing in the wrong direction as it collapses into its cadaverous compatriot. The secondary victim tumbles domino-like, managing to impale itself on the broken shards lining the bottom of tank 02, severing its spinal column, leaving it to writhe its limbs back and forth helplessly.

"Do you have Cee Cee Tee Vee, Mister Scientist? I want that on my audition for the next Bond girl," Coco calls out. It's too soon for the party girl to celebrate, though - a clammy hand grabs her shoulder from behind, and she feels the putrid breath of one of the wheezing dead on her neck as it leans in to try and bite her.

"EW, NO!"

Coco snaps an elbow backward, pulling away as the zombie behind her stumbles. She peers over her shoulder to frown at the scratch marks left on her back from where its nails have been ripped away. "Dumbass zombie! My brains aren't in my shoulder!" she chastises, before a moan from the other side of her draws her attention. It takes her a minute to figure out why she's looking at the back of a zombie's head as its arms reach for her - it's the one whose neck she just snapped a minute ago. "Okay, filing that one away for my therapist," Coco says coolly as she winds up her lower half at the waist. "Okay. I can snap a man's neck with my thighs, but can I take two zombies' heads off in one kick? It's time for some /real/ science."

And with that, she reaches out to grab one of the arms of the effectively blinded zombie in front of her to hurl it into the one behind her, then whips her leg around, her body following after it as she aims a vicious high side kick at the now effectively armless zombie's head, aiming to plow through it and into the other's face!

COMBATSYS: Ayala successfully hits Atticus with Gatling Punch.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [         ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----===========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1

COMBATSYS: Homura successfully hits 4th Container with Gravity of Nagano ES.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [         ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----===========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana &n

COMBATSYS: Buck successfully hits 4th Container with Thagomizer.
- Power hit! -

                              ATTICUS                              
  [         ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----===========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
3rd Container    0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\<

[ATTICUS]
Atticus sneers at Ayala as the bone blade holds her pinned to the wall, his white teeth standing out in the cool glow of the laboratory as they twist into a grin. "Sorry. This must feel especially unfair." his deep baritone rumbles, echoed by the faint whispers of other higher-pitched voices as tendrils bearing secondary mouths sprout from his shoulder, leering toward her as they echo the scientist in a nightmarish chorus. "After all, you're already an extra rung or two behind on the evolutionary ladder -"

*SMACK*

The first punch is enough to shut up the scientist's own mouth.

*SMACK*

"Augh!" the mouth-tentacles shout as the scientist spits blood out of the side of his warped mouth. "You neanderthal bit-"

*SMACK*

"-AUGH!!!"

The mutant mastermind pulls his blade free and staggers backward, clutching his seeping yellow eye. He stumbles next to the fourth container just as Buck's tail slams into it, cracking the glass hard enough for the pen that Homura was wielding to pierce through like an icepick. The glass crackles further before exploding outward, emptying the fluid from the tank. A frog-shark lurches forward from the ruptured vessel... revealing the pen buried deep in its eye socket and into the brain as it collapses, twitching, to the catwalk.

Perhaps Homura miscounted his blessings.

Atticus' good eye looks between Homura, his pen, and the aborted death-frog, his face contorting further with fury.

That's when Coco's voice penetrates the red mist.

'Do you have Cee Cee Tee Vee, Mister Scientist?'

"That's DOCTOR Scientist, you upjumped fucking bourgeois baby!!" the scientist roars, storming through the melee toward Coco, his left arm swelling and forming into a titanic hand. "You want the Cee Cee Tee Vee? IT'S RIGHT OVER THERE!" Reaching out as he charges her, Atticus makes to scoop her up in his hand and spin around, intending to hurl her overhand into the bank of monitors at the far end of the chamber!

Meanwhile, the container marked '03' hisses and releases another shimmering form into the mist as the voice pipes in over the speakers.

<< Specimen #3: 'Wraith' now active. Initializing Specimen #4: Error. Running diagnostic. >>

A slick, spectral tongue slashes through the fog behind Buck, aiming to score a bloody, corrosive cut across his back!

Meanwhile, the frogshark that's had Homura perched on its head decides it's had enough of being used as an accessory in the slaughter of its unborn kindred and snaps its teeth at the shugenja's feet!

COMBATSYS: 3rd Container has left the fight here.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [         ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----===========                
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
                                  >  //////////////////////////////]
                                  |-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0             &

COMBATSYS: Chameleon has joined the fight here as a left henchman!

                              ATTICUS                              
  [         ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----===========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

COMBATSYS: Chameleon focuses on its next action.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [         ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----===========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                 ||||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|----===
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde endures Braun's Aggressive Strike.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                     ||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|--=====
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde blocks Max's Fierce Impact.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|-======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max


COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde interrupts Strong Kick from Coco with Watch Your Feet.
- Power hit! -

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                  |||||||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[   \\\

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde has reached second wind!

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1             Buck
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[

[BRAUN]
Zombies are sent scattering like bowling pins as Braun sunders through just in time to see Ayala pinned to a wall by the jutting bone-blade wielded by the monstrous scientist. This entire affair has been an exercise in life or death and pure lethality - but something about that sight is a taaaaad bit worrisome beyond what else has been witnessed thus far. It's like a badly re-enacted game cinematic or something and it just manages to push the vast beastman just over the edge.

There's a sudden burst of crimson lightning that erupts around the burly lionmans enhanced frame, filling his physique with an even greater surge of power and lighting his red hued mane up into a hue of swirling energy with a visual look not unlike the cornoa of a star. The same surge of pushes his physique even larger, closing the gap between his frame and their immense tormentor if only for a small space of time. The strain on his body is immense, pulling at the supernatural chains that he's been working to sunder since he first entered the NFG. The invisible bindings tighten - and a few snap - and the immense makai brute comes lunging forward towards Atticus - pivoting at the last second to close the distance on the scientist in a blur of fur, muscle and trailing energy.

He's enough control and sense to spin, going for a flanking attack that also takes him away from the sailing figure of Coco, ducking low as well to make sure that she passes by over slamming into his incoming runaway truck like movements, and then he comes up again, arcing into a massive clawed upper swiping motion that trails a blood red gouge of energy through the air and ground in the along the arc of his swing. A thunderous roar, prehistoric and behemoth like, echoes from him as he does so, further adding to the chaos of the noisy chamber.

[AYALA]
Ayala might have gone into slight shock from the claw impaling into her shoulder, but she only allowed herself to feel the effects of that and the pain /once/ Atticus had retracted his arm. She let the adrenaline help her defend herself in the meantime. Knuckle cracked against bone as she drilled her punches into him, finally landing on her feet, she shudders for a moment as she reaches up to place a hand over the wound, coming away bloody. She wished for something to slap over it to stop the dribble of blood, but nothing available right now--she had to strike while the iron was hot so to speak, and try to get Atticus unsteady so she could find an opening in his defenses.

"Not frog, shark! It look like it didn't make it!" Ayala briefly scans over the busted 4th container some distance away, realizing they've got ~friends~ coming out of them, like she had suspected. THIS was where they were all coming from. She drew herself up and came at Atticus from the side, her long gray tail-scarf whipping around her in a cyclone as she spun herself and her chi up, trying to collide with the mutated doctor.

COMBATSYS: Wraith successfully hits Buck with Tongue Lash.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|=======\======-\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0             Coco
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0              Max
[[BUCK]
Focused as he is on smashing lab equipment, Buck really isn't paying attention to the thing trying to lick him. Letting a tongue lash against his shoulder with a scowl. "Gross, flattered, but I'm already spoken for, and I'll warn you, she has a temper." Although the wounds string, his natural healing seems able to fight the toxins left behind relatively well, as the acid burns just seem to smoke, but never get any bigger, his flesh stitching as quickly as it can burn.

"Why not try for three?!" He shouts over to Coco as she tries performing her own experiment. "Shoot for the stars!"

He even lets out a little "Whoop!" of excitement as Ayala manages to land a blow on Atticus. "Make him eat his teeth!"

Then he's spinning on his heel and aiming for another of the containers, lowering his head as if he intnds to just ram his skull into the pod, which is exactly what he does, as no one who has seen him fight should be surprised by. The multi-pronged antlers he sprouted on his headlong rush looking to do some real damage to the metal and glass, along with his thankfully reinforced skull.

COMBATSYS: Predator successfully hits Homura with Aggressive Bite.
- Power hit! -

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0             Coco
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Homura           2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\0
[HOMURA]
Yeah...about those blessings...

Homura is -suitably- alarmed when what looks like a dinosaur tail swings over his head, the boy ducking at the last second to avoid getting thagomized but good, "Ack!"

Most of this results in the shugenja dropping a little bit in his multi-ranged defense, suddenly and starkly aware of the beast he's attempting to avoid being eaten by, and the zombie he's still got pinned to the specimen tank, right alongside the director himself, who is about a few inches from the entire monster mosh that the unfortunate boy finds himself all but buried by. Unfortunately, he's got the sword stuck in the instrument panel and zombie, so it's a little hard to fend anyone off at that point. It leaves the boy to be -absolutely drenched- in synthetic amniotic fluid, the goo washing over him and the killer frogman both, shortly followed by a firmly assassinated body. Nice. Wait, not nice. "Augh--!" Why is it -always- goo!?

It's literally at that point that Homura's eyes widen, the boy all but falling leg-first down the gullet of an angry frogshark, whose entire species is starting to prove to be the shugenja's whole weakness, as he --womp-- loses an -entire- leg to the horrific beast, with an audible, -awful- little crunch. "Gkh--!"

Just barely escaping with the rest of his limbs intact (small blessings?) the boy hits the ground hopping, finally rolling until he can get the sheathe for his sword into the ground with a harsh *crack!* using it as balance and replacement for a gaping, crackling drape of fabric where a whole leg used to be.

"....ah, I m-~~ay have underestimated the abil-bil-bility of a goo-powered predator," the dripping-wet boy surmises, in what is potentially the understatement of the tournament at this point. A sunny, bright smile.

"Ano.. I guess.. I wasn't able to handle that many. I'll have to leave this one up to you guys and Myo'o-sama. Don't forget me, okay?"

He hops once. Twice, the saya dropping to the ground, leaving the boy completely unarmed, his katana still stuck in an instrument panel. This leaves his hands free, slapping them together in prayer. You can almost hear the shamisen twang.

KISO NO NA, NAKANORI-SAN
KISO NO ONTAKE-SAN WA, NANJARA HOI!
NATSU DEMO SAMUI, YOI * YOI * YOI

NAKANORI-SAN, HANZO-SAN, TAKERU-SAN

AWASHO NA, NAKANORI-SAN
AWASHO YARITAYA NANJARA HOI
TABI MO SOETE, YOI * YOI * YOI

MOUGENTASHA....

The boy manages to stay standing through the whole incantation, the clatter of his sneaker bouncing across the fray as he hobbles, dancing, and flickering as he keeps his hands together. It's a weird, strange rhythm to have as an escape from being munched on. As he goes, small energy braces crack and bounce from end to end around him, hip-deep in the fracas. At least, right until his core goes critical and the boy's entire body explodes into sheer, unadulterated, unrelenting white.

The creeping rush of white silk is thunderous as it cracks and tears through the air, unfurling in a circus of pristine fabric chain. Like naginata, the silk waterfalls in a spearing cascade, screaming across the office towards his target: the director.

While he's attending to other things, while his back is turned, while Ayala is pressing her advantage, Homura's self-destructing explosion has generated a mile of silk to spear through every one of the hulking director's extra eyes and strangle every one of his throats. It's the shugenja literally cursing him from beyond the grave, hellbent on anchoring the director in place for superior cavewoman and beastman(wo)(men) killing purposes.

COMBATSYS: Homura can no longer fight.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-----==========                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0             Coco
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Max              0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[MAX]
Between the efforts of the two vicious cats, most of the zombie horde quickly evaporates into greasy smears on the floor. And the walls. And, wow, one of them even got stuck in a ceiling vent. Max blinks her big neon eyes once taking a mental image of the mutilated corpse's leg twitching sporadically for extraction later. Her mom will probably find that funny, if only to gloat at how weak Atticus's minions are.

Speaking of the big boss himself, that bloated bag of wet meat seems to be going on something of a rampage. With all the chaos of the ever escalating threats being unleashed she can't exactly blame her companions for getting overwhelmed. Fortunately, the zombies have been dealt wi- oh, no wait, there's a few getting back up. Annoying little bastards. What few remain seem to be focusing their efforts on the resident tart, which is... fine with Max. While she hasn't actually met Coco yet, all the squawking that's been coming out of that side of the room has thus far not endeared the tramp to her fuzzy ally.

Besides, she totally copped Max's favorite color! The bitch.

Leaving Coco to deal with the leftovers because she uh, has faith in her abilities, the Gear turns to see where else her mighty paws might be of use. Braun and Cave Girl appear to be tackling the giant squid monster problem while her mentor continues to put his head to good use against the remaining creature capsules. Unfortunately it seems a few of the uglies managed to make it out before being decommissioned, one of which biting the leg clean off-- what in the actual kamikaze?!

Max stares wide-eyed as the strange little boy she didn't recognize goes off like the party popper from Hell, her ears and fur whipping back in the force of the blastwave. Once the spots fade from her vision and the wind dies down she continues to stare for several more seconds, blinking only once.

"...now I see why mom doesn't talk in moon speak very often."

Well, it seems like the evil scientist has enough playmates for the moment. The zombies are eating the strip--cheerleader. That just leaves the monster menagerie and the remaining pods to deal with. Figuring a static target will be easier to deal with, the little monster drops to all fours and bounds across the floor like a gorilla on caffeine. Buck's application of spiky forehead to the machine is quickly followed up by way of flying furball. Max scrambles up behind her fellow shape-shifter and bounces off his back, using her momentum to get some wicked air. Both of her gargantuan mitts lift up into the air as she plunges back down, fuzzy fingers clasping together to create one enormous purple wrecking ball aimed square at the device's now-perforated exterior.

"Cannon baaaaaall!"

[ROXANA]
Coco's chat about Bond Girls with the villainous scientist has Roxana reminiscing about their evening in the Mermaid's casino, drinking Bond girl themed cocktails. She'd sampled a 'Strawberry Fields' and a 'Honey Ryder', whilst Coco opted for a 'Solitaire' and a 'Pussy Galore.'

All around Rox, the NFGers are doing their thing. The Nebraskan could almost burst with pride to be a part of these fierce fighters. To think that this time last year, she was merely in the audience as a fan.

Instead of intimidating the scorpion shapeshifter, she seems to find the outburst from Atticus amusing. "Coco isn't a baby." She scoffs. "She doesn't bother to deny she's bourgeois, as she's not really sure what that is.

The containers are continuing to open, unleashing the creatures into the already chaotic and crowded space. The American woman is torn between bashing another box or trying to deal with the zombies. It seems like the decision is made for her, when the last of the zombies goes down, after foolishly throwing themself at Coco's killer kick. But then, her big black eyes detect the slightest of movement. "Aha!" Rox cries out. "They are playing their part perfectly. I am aware that horror movie bad guys always get up again for one more go."

There's an almost gleeful smile on her face as she approaches the rising undead. Leaping on to one of their backs, she uses her claws to cover his eyes, before starting to thrash him with her tail. "Now stay down this time." She threatens.

As she's busy trying to batter her prey, she hears Homura's words "Don't forget me, okay." What? Where is he going? Rox feels like she's barely got to know him. She glances in his direction and sees he is still there, talking in a language she does not recognise. His movements are mysterious, eccentric and eclectic and then...

What she witnesses makes no sense to the teen. Her mouth opens and she simply stares, all whilst still getting an involuntary piggy back from the zombie.

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Coco with Gigant Morph.
~ Cruel hit! ~
* Attack Of Opportunity! *

                              ATTICUS                              
  [        |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|-==============                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/---====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              0/-------/=======|=======\-------\[COCO]
Unfortunately for Coco, her newfound penchant for trying to murder zombies ends up causing her to take her eyes off the prize - or at least, what's going on below her thighs. Just as she's lining up her lethal kick, the clammy hand of a crawler wraps around her standing ankle, throwing off her balance as she tries to swing her striking leg out. She falls backward onto the prostrate zombie bottom-first, cracking its back almost harmlessly as she lands. The numbers had seemed to be thinning, but many that had already appeared properly deceased can be seen getting back up to renew their assault.

Her attention is drawn by a horrible crunching sound from nearby, and she's greeted by a horrific display - the shugenja breaking out into what she can only understand as some kind of J-Pop idol performance. Oh yeah, and getting a leg bitten off by a frogshark.

"Oh no! That's so gross! I'll tell my therapist about you!" she says, before suddenly finding herself yanked off of the zombie's back and thrown across the room by a gigantic hand, where she smashes against a bank of monitors, cracking several and obliterating two of them as she screams out in pain.

Collapsing onto the ground on her hands and knees, shards of plastic embedded in her back and elbows, Coco shudders in pain.

"It's... bougie, babe," she hisses, one eye squinting shut as the other glowers across the room at her assailant. "Only pseudo-intellectual wankers say 'bourgeoisie' nowadays."

Pushing up onto her feet, she turns her one-eyed gaze to a trio of zombies pulling themselves up the short flight of steps leading up toward the office space in which she's landed. "Right," she says as she opens both eyes and narrows them. "Let's get sexy."

Running at the first as it rises over the staircase and slouches to its full height, she leaps and launches herself to mount it in mid-air, intending to ensnare it with her legs around her waist. Recalling how she managed to use this particular maneuver against both Iris and Albert in one go in their tag tournament match, she'll grab its shoulders and flip forward, aiming to slam the zombie down into the next one in line and ride them both down to the bottom of the stairs, taking out the third in the process. Once straddled astride the zombies at the base of the stairs, the purple-haired pugilist will start raining down punches with potentially skull-crushing force on the undead beneath her!

"Don't give up! We can take 'em!" she shouts. "We've got a rocket launcher, they don't!"

COMBATSYS: Braun successfully hits Atticus with Raging Thunder Roar.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                   ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|-----------====|===============                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              0/-------/=======|=======\
                              ATTICUS                              
  [                          |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|--------=======|===============                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              0/-------/=======|=======\
COMBATSYS: Atticus blocks Homura's #Hidden Ballade of the...#.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                              |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|------=========|===============                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              0/-------/=======|=======\
                              ATTICUS                              
  [                              |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|------=========|===============                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              0/-------/=======|=======\-------\

COMBATSYS: Max successfully hits 5th Container with Hammerpaw.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                              |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|------=========|===============                
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                       ||||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     0|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\
[ATTICUS]
There's a twisted look of smug satisfaction on the face of Doctor Scientist -- er, Atticus -- as he watches the British girl crash into the monitors that had once served as his window into the lives that now dance on his puppeteer strings. There is no need for those windows, now; they've all been dragged through the looking glass into his nightmare realm.

His smirk starts to subconsciously sag at the corner, and it's only when he sees his reflection appear in one of the monitors that he seems to notice. His expression turns into a sneer as he realises how heavily he finds himself wheezing. The chemicals in the air - suffused with seithr as they are - are enough to sustain the parasite and the ragged, shambling corpses respiring in the room, yet his breathing feels cloyed, his heart pounding so hard that it's visible through his chest.

It's not something wrong with the parasite. It's something wrong with the Omega Serum. But, the tests had shown that the flaws only occurred when -

His vision is suddenly filled with crimson and claw.

He tries to twist away, to use the god-like grace he's been endowed with, but the claws rake across his face as the roar rings in his ears. Tainted blood splatters against the wall as his human eye erupts.

"RRRRAAAAAUUUGGGHHH!" the scientist's multi-tonal roar joins that of the beastman.

The kick comes as he tries to slide to one side, crashing into him and knocking him into a stumble to the side. He's still staggering when the silken lance comes cascading toward him - but moments before it can drive into his chest, he raises his left limb. It penetrates through, seemingly fended, but the silk weaves like a threading needle, stabbing into more of the eyes along his arm shoulder. Sightless, he strains and screams as his mutant arm is sewn to his body. He tugs and pulls as flesh roils.

-*rippppp*-

The limb tears free in an explosion of gore as a titanic tentacle erupts from its end, surging to a length great enough to cross the entire chamber. In a literal blind rage, the unseeing scientist flails the massive arm chaotically at targets around the room --

Namely, Max, the newborn chameleon, and some of the less fortunate zombies.

Buck's chameleonic tormentor continues its campaign against the shapeshifter, attempting to whip its tongue around him and slam him against the nearest wall!

The frogshark that was chomping on Homura is inured to the flash of light by the scent of blood filling its olfactory system and driving it to bloody frenzy. It leaps at Braun from behind, attempting to drive its talonous lower limbs into his back!

Meanwhile, Roxana finds herself leapt at by the newborn chameleonic creature as it tries to elude the attack from its creator!

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde blocks Roxana's Fierce Strike.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                        |||||| ]
                 Zombie Horde     1|-------|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/--

COMBATSYS: Coco successfully hits Zombie Horde with S.O.T.B..

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                             | ]
                 Zombie Horde     1|-----==|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              
                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


                 [                               ]
                 Zombie Horde     1|-======|=======
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              
COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde can no longer fight.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

The electronic voice rings out:

<< ...Failed to initialize Specimen Container Four, 'Predator.' Initializing Specimen Container Five... >>

As the last of the zombies engage with the fighters, as one, they appear to breath in deep, swelling with the seithr-filled air - before exploding in rapid succession as the parasites piloting them sacrifice their bodies in kamikaze attacks of bone and gore!

COMBATSYS: Predator successfully hits Braun with Death Leap.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Braun blocks Zombie Horde's They're Coming To Get You.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[BRAUN]
Blood sprays and the deafening roar of Braun's previous assault is twisted into a surprised and guttural bellow pain as the Predator's claws sink int his massive back and carve a swatch of damage across the expansive muscle there.

The wounds begin attempting to pull them back together almost immediately but that doesn't do much in regards to the surge of fire hot pain and dehibilitating weakness that pours into him from that attack, warring against his berserker state as it tries to fuel him and push him onward and onward to get through this insane melee.

It does have the added benefit of pushing him into a position where he's able to react on a combo of skill and instinct as the remaining zombies begin detonating around him sending body parts, bone and ichor flying in all directions. He spins, both attempting to face his attacker head on and to also bring his limbs around in a flury fo parrying motions that swat aside most of the debris as it comes his way - leaving only some to get through his defenses to batter his body and sizzle his flesh. The downside is that he's been pulled away from Atticus momentarily in order to focus on his new attacker. Perhaps not so fortunante for the monstrosity on him since it means Braun's full building rage now falls full onto it.

Fighting the pain searing through his body, the enraged beastman lunges into action - sending a series of rapid fire slashes cutting through the air as his enormous arms drag claws and trails of chi through the air in a wild assault on the creature.

Att he end of this, a powrful uppercut comes, intending to send the predator upwards and is then followed by Braun leaping after it in order to grab it and then pile drive it headfirst back down towards the blood and ichor strewn floor of the chamber. Another pre-historic roar erupts from him as he does this, eyes now enflamed with same energy visibly boiling baout his body.

COMBATSYS: Ayala blocks Zombie Horde's They're Coming To Get You.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[AYALA]
THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU, BARBARA.

Ayala has never seen any of the movies, but right now she's getting a bit of a return of the living dead herself as the zombies detonate--sending a few flying heads and pieces of bone rocketing her way--she raises her arms to block it but gets knocked around into some equipment--winding up floored momentarily, picking herself back up. Was more fun fighting the damn things than getting hit by pieces of them, at least they didn't try to defend themselves at all.

"Hnnghhh--" Ayala gritted her teeth and strained as she flipped herself up back to a standing position, finally feeling the chi roiling within her enough to be able to send what felt like lightning down her arms and muscles. Braun was still going, which meant that she could still help against the huge mutated man--she just had to quiet her mind and focus on her next attack...

COMBATSYS: Ayala focuses on her next action.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Buck just-defends Wraith's Tongue Slam!

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde successfully hits Buck with They're Coming To Get You.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                               ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[BUCK]
"Will you go lick something else?!" Buck shouts at the chameleon zombie as he grabs a chair and lifts it in front of him. Luckily, that gets wrapped up in the tongue instead of Buck, who watches it slam into the wall with a bit of smug satisfaction. "Ha! I'd tell you to take a seat bu.. AHH!" And Buck is then swamped in zombies, going down in the pile of bodies with a muffled shout that.. Well, knowing him it's probably not an actual curse word, but it's pretty close. Not that it can really be made out in the muffled stack of bodies.

Gross.

But Coco's words reach his ears, and for a moment, he has to think. The adrenaline of combat almost made him forget, even if the thing has been banging against his back the entire time. They have a rocket launcher.

One of the passed out zombie bodies shifts and is shoved aside, followed by another as Buck crawls out of the most disgusting pile of stuff he's ever been in, and he lived on a farm shovelling cow manure.

He stays on all fours, once he crawls free, a prehensile tail that snaked out the base of his spine wrapped firmly around the rocket launcher, even right onto the trigger.

"Look, ma, I'm a tank." He says with a vicious grin as he adjusts the angle of the rocket launcher peeking over his shoulder, then with a *twump* it sends its payload soaring towards his intended target.

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Max with Leviathan Strain.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                             ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Max dodges Zombie Horde's They're Coming To Get You.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                             ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1           Roxana

[MAX]
Max's mighty leaping slam brings both of her giant paws down on the base of the capsule marked with the numeral five. The console on its front shatters into a hundred tiny keyboard buttons which all shoot off in various directions like pieces of plastic shrapnel, its frame denting inwards under the blow. But despite the efforts of both her and Buck the damn thing remains functional.

"You know, if you just marketed whatever the heck this thing is made out of you, you'd probably make money way easier!"

Apparently unamused by her sass, the rampaging doctor unleashes a bellow that rivals her mother's cry of anguish upon realizing they're out of coffee in the morning. Considering the distinct lack of caffinated beverages on the island for most of their stay, Max has grown quite familiar with that sound of late. And she'd still rather be here dealing with all of this nonsense than have to face -that- monstrosity!

The Gear's ears fold down out of instinct, her eyes going wide at Atticus.

"It was just a joke, there's no need to get all--"

Whatever smart remark she was going to quip at him there is cut off by the sudden whip-crack of an unpleasantly familiar squirming appendage. Time dilates for the bio-weapon as her instincts scream at her to find something to hide behind. But as last time the incredible speed of the snapping tip is far too much for her restricted reflexes to handle.

"Oh cra--NGHK?!"

Despite its slender size the tentacle slams into the small Gear with the force of a tree branch being thrown around in a hurricane. The impact physically lifts her off the ground sending a purple fuzzy missile screaming across the room only a few inches above everyone's head. On the upside, she considers, the wild flailing took out the rest of the zombies. On the other...

Max hits the far wall like a line drive down center field. Having had some experience with this now, she manages to lessen the impact somewhat, or at least avoid having her spine shattered into confetti like last time - mostly by sacrificing a shoulder instead. Not as lethal for her as it would be for a human but unpleasant nonetheless - and probably still fatal since she'd be unable to defend herself against the growing horde of monsters.

A sound vaguely resembling a squeaky toy being stepped on fills the air briefly as Max bounces off the wall and tumbles face-first onto the floor.

"No... nobody heard that...!"

Staggering to her feet, one arm hanging limp at her side, the small girl glares pointedly at the room, her neon gaze daring anyone to say otherwise as she starts to scamper her way back over to the other side of the room. Capsule number five continues to spark and sputter from her previous efforts but the creature inside seems to be stirring and the few remaining panels on the device continue to chirp with fresh data. Not smashed enough, clearly.

Building up a head of steam, the Gear snarls as her brain flashes with warnings about the damage dealt to her arm. It would probably be better if she took a moment to address her injuries but with her instincts all fired up she'd likely be putting more effort into fighting her own impulses than actually mending. Better to direct that aggression at something useful.

Five wicked claws extends from her fuzzy fingers as she dives at the capsule again, her good arm swinging upwards in a wild slash. She digs her talons into the gap between the machine and the floor, attempting to not only shred it apart but dislodge the entire damn thing from whatever cabling and hoses might be feeding it the necessary power or chemical to rouse its occupant from slumber.

COMBATSYS: Chameleon successfully hits Roxana with Wall Climb Ambush.
- Power hit! -

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                             ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Max              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\===----\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Roxana counters They're Coming To Get You from Zombie Horde with Scorpion Sting EX.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                             ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\-------\0             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\======-\1           Roxana

[ROXANA]
The zombie whose back Roxana climbed on to isn't too happy with being ridden. He waves his arms around wildly, smacking her scorpion tail away with the motions. He starts to spin in a circle, sending the Persian with the pincers flying to the floor. As he crawls after her, she gets on all fours in front of him and starts striking out with her tail again, this time with a lot more success. There's moaning and groaning sounds from the soon to be even more dead undead, and by the time Rox releases her poison, it's time for him to make his movie exit.

Pushing up into a standing position, the arachnid surveys the combat continuing around her. Coco is getting sexy on a staircase, The Big Game Hunters are intent on taking out the big boss, Max is making herself a menace and Buck? The farm boy has finally decided to fire that rocket launcher!

So intrigued is she by the sound of the weapon, that Rox forgets to stay alert to any potential attackers. Not that this particular one would be easy to spot. She feels something brush against her and then an acidic tongue lashes against the back of her neck. "Oh noooo!" She protests, before being pounced on and scratched and clawed at. The cruel creature carefully catches her on all the exposed areas of her flesh, calculatingly avoiding her armour.

There's a small cry of pain from the Nebraskan as she manages to pull away and start crawling towards the closest container.

COMBATSYS: Zombie Horde successfully hits Coco with They're Coming To Get You.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                             ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|---------<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\======-\
[COCO]
Coco's flipping scissor-slam works exactly as intended, leaving her on top of a pile of three zombies, their skulls pounded largely to paste by her brutal British fists until they stop moving. Panting with exhilaration, fists slick and face splattered with blood and other things besides, the kickboxing babe looks up at her fellow fighters and grins.

"Did you guys see that? I basically just killed three dudes!"

Troubling as her words may be, the fact that the pile of corpses she's sat on starts to quiver beneath her is much more so. Sensing the danger as they swell, she hops up, wide-eyed and cursing - "Oh, fuck!" - and starts to stumble away, trying to take cover from the rapidly inflating bodies. Before she can make it, there's a sickening sound of snapping cartilage, ripping flesh and scattering viscera from behind her, and she lets out a cry as a shard of bone suddenly bursts through the side of her abdomen, where it's impaled her from back to front. Staggering, she looks down at her wound, doubling over before retching up blood and bile through the grating. Perhaps her revenge will be contaminating Dr. Scientist's lab in the middle of an experiment.

"Who knew... it would be zombies, after all..." Coco coughs as she lifts her blurring silver eyes up.

There's a sound of a squeaky toy from nearby. Coco recognizes it. Morgie loves playing with squeaky toys.

"Oh, Morgie - I'll help," she croaks as she lurches toward where the creature is clawing at the cracked tank. "Here, stand back while mummy opens the treats," the delirious, doting diva tells her now-pink (?) bearcat (??) as she lifts up her leg, says a silent prayer to Tia Langray, and launches a machine-gun-style flurry of totally-not-copyrighted kicks at the battered specimen tank...

...and barely manages to somehow remain standing as she does so.

COMBATSYS: Buck successfully hits Atticus with Rocket Launcher ES.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                            |||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|--<<<<<<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\======
COMBATSYS: Predator blocks Braun's Beast Roar's Impact.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                            |||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|--<<<<<<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\
COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Chameleon with Leviathan Strain.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                            |||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|--<<<<<<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              1/<<<<<<<
                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                            |||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|--<<<<<<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              2/<<

COMBATSYS: Coco successfully hits 5th Container with L.I.T..

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                            |||||||||||||||| ]
                 1|--<<<<<<<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              2
[ATTICUS]
And with that, the science and security personnel of PrimoGen BioTech's Isla Zaca division are no more. Well, technically their DNA is all over the laboratory. Someone is certainly going to hear it from the NFG's Audience Awareness Association if footage of this horror show somehow were ever to air, as the violence rating has definitely been exceeded.

Atticus comes stomping to a halt as his rampage subsides and his blinded eye sockets close, breathing faster and harder. Both the chameleon that was assaulting Roxana and Max (along with a few exploding zombies) have been sent flying by his flailing appendage, which slithers along the floor as it slowly retracts toward his arm. "Is that all Doctor Maeda and her friends have to offer?" the slurring scientist says before chortling wetly as his eyes re-open, the sundered sockets now filled with two yellow sclera filled with sociopathic mirth. "You should have taken my offer --"

*TWUMP*

The scientist's newly re-formed eyes flit to one side as a rocket screams toward him.

*THUD*

The projectile slams into the monstrous giant's stomach, lifting him off of his feet and carrying him into the wall.

*KABOOM!!!*

The entire room quakes as the rocket's warhead detonates with the collision, engulfing Atticus in blazing fire.

Meanwhile, the container under assault by the pink and purple posse explodes outward in a flood of goo, the creature within slashed and pummeled into submission before it can shift its hues to match its surroundings. It collapses, visible as a red lizard-like creature - though one with disturbingly human-like forelimbs and a naked, mammalian cranial shape. What exactly where these things made from?

Doggedly determined, the Wraith that has been attacking Buck lashes out at his legs with its foreclaws!

<< Specimen Container Five not detected. Initializing Specimen Container Six. Warning: structural integrity compromised. All personnel, evacuation is recommended. >>

The one that's been attacking Roxana gathers itself from the far side of the chamber, climbing up the wall before whipping its acidic tongue out to try and snap it across her torso! Meanwhile, the frog-shark shifts its focus from Braun to Ayala, lunging at her with a swift swipe of its left claws!

"Imogen..."

The sound of the scientist's voice, warped beyond almost all recognition, resonates outward from the cloud of debris and chemicals near the entrance as the silhouette of Atticus limps slowly into view.

"...place Executive Office under lockdown."

<< Lockdown during evacuation procedures requires executive override - >>

"Override," the hulking shape splutters.

<< Voice pattern not recognized. Executive override requires confirmation from Doctor Atticus Blaine - >>

"OVERRIDE!!!"

<< Doctor Atticus Blaine acknowledged. Overriding. >>

The lights around the decontamination chamber in the laboratory's entryway go red as the airlock doors seal tight with an audible hiss.

"NOOONNNE of YOooOOUuUU will LEAVE here ALIIIIIIVE!!!!"

The mist around the silhouette starts to disappear, respired in through the multitude of mouths that open up along the ragged mass of flesh and blood that has been left in the wake of the rocket's red glare. The shape of a swollen heart hammers against the dark prison of the doctor's chest, the ribcage cracking audibly before the caged core of the scientist's overtaxed circulatory system -explodes- outward with a sickening pop. The sucking mouths slurp away the excess matter of the doctor's epidermis, leaving only a thin casing to contain the red mass of slick and shifting muscle as the parasite overrides all pain receptors. The twisting mass that served previously as the transmogrified madman's left arm forms into a tube of rubbery flesh ending in a circular sucker-mouth full of sharp teeth as he turns on Braun.

"COME - BECOME ONE WITH THE ALPHA PREDATOR!" the symbiote screams from its misshapen mouth as it thrusts the lamprey limb forward, threatening to feed on the beastman's flesh and blood!

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Braun with Sanguivore Strain.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                       ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>------\1             Buck
[                           \\\  < >  //////                        ]
Braun            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Max              2
[BRAUN]
It is a truly horrifying blow. Straight from the collective minds of the masters of horror who had already been invoked in this maddening melee.

Braun turns, seeing the blur of movement, hearing the roar of the violent horror before them, and seeing the mass as it surges in his direction ....and is utterly unable to do anything about it. He braces, and that's about it. His body is already sluggish, weak, drained by the poison wracking his form and in a situation like this a single percentage one way or the other is truly the difference between life and death and victory and defeat.

And the odds don't fall in his favor. The horrid mass cleaves into his torso, blowing past the defenses of his hardened hide and sending blood spraying in all directions as it punctures into his gut and lifts him from the ground to send him flying backwards and into more equipment in a hail of sparks and falling debris. The tentacle is still attached when he its the ground, his vision going stark white and then blurring into a rapidly approaching darkness as his life is sapped from him and pulled free from the violence of the blow.

But something within him seems to snap and his eyes fly open. He staggers up to his feet, reaching one arm out to try and grab hold of the tentacle but versus trying to pull it free his muscles bulge and tighten.

"Heh, you first, doc!"

With that, he braces and pulls - using a last surge of his bestial and enhancd strength to try and pull the doctor towards him and then launching forward at him in the space of a heartbeat with his other arm trailing a sudden gouge of chi through the air.

Once near enough - he sends the claw around in a tremendous swipe and then releases the tentacle to bring the other arm up and around again and then follows this up with another series of increasingly fast rapid fire strikes that send jagged rips of energy scything through the air at the monstrous behemoth before him.

A final push forward sends him into the burning wall of energy with a double swipe of both of his arms to form a huge 'X' shaped gouge of raw power as he attempts to cross the doctor up with that final blow...

And then he goes tumbling down, down,d own, slamming into ruined floor of the office with the energy sustaining him boiling away to reveal his standard frame and size...now sprawled out on the metallic ground.

COMBATSYS: Braun can no longer fight.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                       ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/------</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/-======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Ayala blocks Predator's Fast Claw.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                       ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            1/-======/=======|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/------</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/-======/=======|

[AYALA]
"Braun!" Ayala is distracted by what's going on--the explosion from the rocket launcher, among other things--then the huge lancing lamprey tongue that strikes Braun--the giant feline man releasing a final x-shaped chi blade of his own. The frog-shark approaches her and attempts to rend her with it's clawed hand--Ayala is undeterred by what's going on with it, reaching up to stop the strike with her fist, bone cracking as she keeps it from slicing across her. Her fist comes away bloody, understandably.

Her skin glistened with sweat and she looked like she'd been sheathed in oil. Not quite a kodak moment, but it looked especially good as her muscles rippled as she took off from the ground. She was still hurt and unsteady from what Atticus had done to her earlier--running her shoulder through with his giant claw arm. She had some payback in mind for him, however.

"HEY, BIG MAN--" Ayala shouted as she took a running jump towards Atticus, her body wreathed in chi energy as she brought both fists to bear towards him and sailed through the air, intent on striking the mighty mutant head on!

[BUCK]
"Braun!" Buck shouts as the beastman goes down. While they haven't exactly spent much time hanging out, Buck likes the lion guy, and it doesn't take much for the Oklahoman to consider someone a friend. So the moment of glorious smugness he got from actually blasting Atticus with the rocket launcher disappears into another cloud of anger and annoyance.

"You think this whatever it is is so powerful and great and you still need your little minions to keep us occupied." He taunts, probably aware it won't do much against the arrogant scientist, but it feels good to yell at him regardless.

Buck sprints forward towards Atticus, grabbing the still hot barrel of the rocket launcher in one hand and flipping it over his shoulder. Sure, the ammo may be spent, but it's still a giant chunk of metal.

Pumping with adrenaline, Buck skids to a halt in front of the mastermind of this little lab of horrors and brings up the no-rocket launcher, swinging it like a pinch hitter trying to knock one out of the park for a grand slam, aiming right for that pumping heart in the monster's exposed chest.

[MAX]
Under the onslaught of her titanic blow, the stubborn machine finally tears free of its moorings and goes flying into the air in several smaller pieces. Max grins triumphantly at her handiwork, pumping her arm with a soft 'yesss', when her danger senses start to tingle again. Whipping around on her heels, claw lifting to defend herself against what she assumes is one of the already awakened bio-weapons, the girl is horrified to find something far worse lurching towards her!

"Aaaaah, zombie stripper!"

Covered in blood and vomit, both her own and that of the explosive corpses, Coco's staggering gait gives her the distinct appearance of one of the undead. That bone sticking out of her side doesn't help either. While one zombie hardly poses a threat to the tiny Gear, she does feel slightly hesitant at ripping apart one of her former teammates - even a loud obnoxious one. On the other hand, the woman would probably want to be put down rather than spend the rest of eternity as a shambling corpse.

"Sorry about this, Stripperella... I'll make it qui-"

The sound of her hero's name being called out not once but twice by other voices filled with alarm snaps Max's attention back to the main event. Her eyes widen to near owlish proportions at the sight of the big catman face down on the floor covered in blood. Her gaze shifts to Atticus, the former scientist's body ever plunging further into the abyss of horrific mutations, and she sees red for a few furious moments.

Reason reasserts itself quickly, her mind less enthralled to emotion than a human's. A quick assessment of the battlefield shows that both Buck and the Neanderthal have already hurled themselves at the director in an effort to bring him down. She would only get in the way trying to attack him but there is something else she can do to help.

Ducking casually underneath Coco's drunken kick, the Gear drops to all fours - well, all three, with one arm disabled - and scampers across the blood-slicked floors to where Braun's body has fallen. It's a bit awkward to lift his massive bulk up with one arm but she manages to slither underneath his torso and heft him up onto her back in a fireman's carry. It's probably a ridiculous sight, like an ant trying to haul an entire meatball back to its colony, but her unnatural strength shifts down into her legs and Max quickly shuffles her fallen comrade out of the danger zone to a far corner of the room.

"Hang in there, Mister Braun," she says, rolling him as gingerly as she can against the wall.

The Gear's throat bulges strangely as she coughs up the healing potion stored in her hidden glands, spewing a thick mass of shimmering clear gel into her hand. She quickly smears most of it on the worst of the wounds she can find and the magic goes to work immediately, bolstering his already powerful regenerative abilities. Unfortunately, it looks like the beating he took isn't something that even her aid will help him walk off immediately but at least he won't die of blood loss or infection before they can escape.

With the remains of her poultice, she attends to her own wounds, rubbing the solution on her ruined shoulder. A few seconds later a series of sharp pops fill the air as the bones knit themselves back into the place. She rolls her shoulder around experimentally, finding it still weak but serviceable.

"Rest," she says, whether or not Braun is still conscious enough to hear, turning to face what is almost certain to be at least one of the roaming predators still stalking the battlefield. "I'll keep them off you."

COMBATSYS: Roxana blocks Chameleon's Tongue Lash.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                       ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|------<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>-----\1             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/------=/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/-======/=======|

[ROXANA]
"Well done on the killing, Coco!" Roxana calls out to her, still crawling towards the container. She's so intent on her purpose that she doesn't turn towards her mentor and is therefore spared the sight of the Brit being penetrated by the bone.

On route she's threatened with another tongue lashing, when the sneaky creature who she's just escaped tries for a second shot by licking at her stomach. Pushing it away, she continues closer to her target. As she's almost at her destination, Rox dives forward on to her stomach, then starts to thrash wildly, moving her body up and down as she strikes out at the storage space with her scorpion claws.

Out of the corner of her eye she sees Atticus get struck by the rocket launcher and silently celebrates. She's not so happy about a word she hears from Max however. "Stripperella? Are you talking to Coco?" Focusing her gaze in that direction means she sees the lion man go down. The other Gear has him covered, so the best the rest of them can do is continue to fight on.

[COCO]
She might be on the verge of joining the living dead - if that was how things worked with this particular brand of zombie - but somewhere between Max's words and the cool fluid released from the shattering glass tank, Coco manages to regain some semblance of situational awareness. "Don't look down," she tells herself as she becomes aware of the agonizing pain that's filling her abdomen.

*KABOOM*

"Bloody hell!" Coco wheezes, grabbing onto a bit of railing as the room shakes with the rocket's detonation. "Should we really be blowing things up in an underground laboratory - oh, nice one," she says as she sees that the big man has taken Buck's rocket-shaped gift to heart - literally.

The display that happens when the doctor emerges from the darkness, however, has Coco looking ill once more.

"Oh, gross." She turns away from the sight as her stomach starts to gurgle, fighting off the urge to throw up again. By the time that she's recovered from the second wave of nausea, Braun is on the receiving end of the wrath of the creature formerly known as Atticus. "Oh, crap! Braun!" She hasn't had too many direct interactions with the beastman, but aside from a certain single exception, she feels a sense of camaraderie toward all of the first-generation NFGers, and while that might not overcome her usual disregard for other peoples' pain, Braun seems almost as much like an animal as a person. Really, Coco could have been a PETA member.

Fortunately, Max seems to have the big guy covered.

"Right. Where was I?" She spots Rox thrashing at one of the other containers. "Oh yeah, breaking shit. Sorry, monster babies! Even I have limits!"

Charging in next to her partner, Coco aims to slam hip-first into the specimen tank to soften it up before grapping hold of the frame and hammering her knees into the glass!

COMBATSYS: Atticus dodges Braun's Monarch's Relentless Fury.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                       ||||||||||||||||||||| ]
                 0|---------------|----<<<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>-\1             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/------=/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/--=====/=======|

COMBATSYS: Ayala successfully hits Atticus with Falcon Hit EX.
~~ Alluring Hit! ~~

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                                   ||||||||| ]
                 1|-------------<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>-\1             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/------=/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/--=====/=======|

COMBATSYS: Atticus blocks Buck's Random Weapon.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                                     ||||||| ]
                 1|------------<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>-\1             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/--=====/=======|

COMBATSYS: Roxana successfully hits 6th Container with Scorpion Dive.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                                     ||||||| ]
                 1|------------<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>-\1             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Coco successfully hits 6th Container with Tiki Bongo.

                              ATTICUS                              
  [                                                     ||||||| ]
                 1|------------<<<|<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<                
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|
[ATTICUS]
The monstrous second-stage symbiote slides and slithers away from each of the claw strikes aimed at its horrific corpus like something somewhere between quicksilver and ground meat.

"YOU...? HA.. HA... HAHAHA!"Its voice rings out in mocking laughter, first in syrupy bass tones, then more and more higher-pitched echoes until it builds to a cacophonous chorus.

"HOW DRO--"

'HEY, BIG MAN--'

The metal tube of the rocket launcher smacks into the massive mound of mobile meat's heart, causing it to stutter for a moment and stagger backwards.

*SPLLRRRRTT*

And that's when Ayala comes bursting out of the scientist's heart, having punched straight through the sausage-casing-like skin of the scientist's back before erupting through the thundering organ in an explosion of gore.

The unrecognizable man's eyes all turn to the cavity that was his chest.

In that moment, Doctor Atticus Blaine is forced to confront his own mortality.

"I..." the doctor drools and slurs, now only a single voice. "...was supposed to be... perfect."

The head drops forward as the knees that were supporting the mass of flesh buckle.

*SKREEEEEEE*

A desperate screech fills the chamber as the symbiote sends tendrils flailing from the dead host's body, dozens of serpentine tendrils with barbed ends trying to hook in everything in the chamber in a final, desperate lust for blood!

COMBATSYS: Atticus can no longer fight.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Chameleon with Hydra Evolution.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\-------\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Predator blocks Atticus' Hydra Evolution.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\====---\1         Predator
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Wraith blocks Atticus' Hydra Evolution.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\====---\1         Predator
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away 6th Container with Hydra Evolution.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\====---\1         Predator
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away 7th Container with Hydra Evolution.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\====---\1         Predator
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away 8th Container with Hydra Evolution.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\====---\1         Predator
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

Not even the scientist's own creations are safe from the symbiote's ravages. One of the wraiths finds itself impaled on one of the tendrils and flailed about. As it's shaken, it spews acidic bile at the scorpion shifter, its focus on its chosen prey unwavering even in the throes of agony!

The other wraith and the frogshark, having had thirty to sixty seconds more life experience than their less fortunate sibling, are wary enough to avoid getting impaled, instead getting thrown against the walls, where one sticks and the other slides to the ground in a controlled fall. The wraith uses its positioning to try and leap at Buck, while the frogshark starts rolling across the floor toward Ayala in a ball of claws and spines!

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Ayala with Hydra Evolution.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\===----\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            1/----===/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Predator successfully hits Ayala with Razor Spin.
- Power hit! -

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                                < >  //////                        ]
Ayala            2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Coco
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Buck             1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2              Max
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

[AYALA]
"AYALA NEVER GIVE UP--" The cavewoman appears in a shower of blood and glory, bursting through the giant mutant's huge pulsating heart, destroying it utterly. She lands, swinging her hair and the blood that rains from it and her head back as she gives a defiant roar, one fist held high. That is until the tendrils snake out around her ankles and legs, grabbing and cutting into her. There is a slight moment for her to react with some due surprise, blinking in perhaps humorour (in another situation, perhaps) confusion before she realizes what has happened.

And then the pain and the predator is on her--she tugs at her legs and is unable to free herself before the frogshark barrels into her, clawing and knocking her right back down to the floor--she hits her head, hard, but still had a few moments of consciousness left to lash out at it.

"Pfft--" she's choking back some blood, and the world is spinning, "#$%@!" what she says next is likely a series of curses in Spanish, or her own language, it's hard to tell--lashing out with her right leg at the creature towering over her, somehow able to free it before the world spins again and goes black.

She hopes it's not for the last time.

COMBATSYS: Ayala can no longer fight.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1             Buck
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Buck blocks Atticus' Hydra Evolution.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        1/=======/=======|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\====---\1             Buck
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Buck dodges Chameleon's Wall Climb Ambush.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\====---\1             Buck
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1           Roxana

[BUCK]
"Arrogant prick!" Buck shouts after his weapon makes contact, the first real curse word anyone here has likely heard out of him. Then his savage grin turns even more vicious as Ayala tears him apart, and he lets out a, "Whoohoo!" Of excitement as Atticus finally falls. "Way to g--urk!"

Of course there'd be death throes. He barely gets his makeshift weapon up in time to protect him from the worst of it, the tentacles wrapping around it instead and wrenching it free of his grip, his expression also turns sour as he sees Ayala down for the count. "Crud. Who's still up?" He says, more to lock the thought in his head than for an actual role call as he peers around the room. There are some monsters still standing and some canisters still looking semi-functional. Even with the big guy down they don't seem to be in the clear.

"Leave me alone!" He growls as he has to slip out of the way of the tonguelashing chameleon again. He brings up his arm, the skin turning a blue-gray as is begins to spark with electricity, then with a roar he brings it down on the Chameleon monster with an explosion of blue bio-electric fury.

COMBATSYS: Max successfully aids herself with Emergency Grooming.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Buck
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Max with Hydra Evolution.
- Power hit! -

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Buck
[                           \\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Max              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1           Roxana

[MAX]
No sooner than she turns around Max finds herself shielding her face - not to avoid having it clawed off by one Atticus's genetic experiments but to keep bits of flaming parasite from flying into her eyes. Well, that would be the rocket launcher finally put to good use. She would have probably suggested using it a little sooner - as in, the moment they laid eyes on Doctor Cthulu - but there's no use crying over exploded bio-weapons. That's probably something her mother would say.

She has strange taste in idioms.

As much as she wants to join the others in their celebratory cheers, the little Gear knows better. Horrible monstrosities don't simply die when you kill them. There's always some sort of failsafe or contingency measure built in to make sure those who dealt the final blow are made to suffer. After all, what's the point of having a disposable mass produced freak if you aren't going to turn it into a bomb? Her mother had assured her that whoever made that mistake with Max would not be walking away to gloat about it. Hopefully, no one will ever have to find out what the U.N.'s secret project division considered an appropriate dead man's switch to cover their tracks.

Sure enough, it only takes a few moments for Atticus to prove her instincts right. Whether or not the scientist was even aware of the built-in final measure or was simply arrogant enough to believe himself immortal, they'll never know. What she does know is that the mass of nasty tendrils flailing around the room aren't something that can be ignored.

With the advantage of foreknowledge on her side, she has plenty of time to make a quick escape, crawling up the walls or throwing herself behind some convenient zombie corpses. But if she does that then Braun will be completely at their mercy. She isn't sure how good his healing factor is but she knows that her own magical hide is nigh impervious to long-term harm without sorcery to punch through its defenses.

"Oh man, this is gonna suuuc-!!"

The small girl braces herself, expending some of her reserves to bolster the muscle mass in her legs. The first couple barbed appendages slam into the thick meat of her fuzzy arms, punching straight through the skin and muscle like a pair of straws being jammed into a juice box. She hopes her bizarre blood doesn't taste like strawberry.

"I won't let you get him," she growls, shifting her body to get in the way of a tentacle attempting to slither around her and have a go at the slumped over catman. Another needle-like spear plunges into her abdomen, hitting the tiny girl like a battering ram and sending her skidding backwards across the blood-smeared floor. A fourth rushes in to strike at her and then a fifth, the symbiote almost seeming to take sadistic glee in punishing her for her selflessness. By the time the vile creature finally expends the last of its retaliatory fury, Max stands all but pinned to the wall like an insect in some collector's exhibit, half a dozen bony thorns jammed into her purple flesh.

"That... that all you got?!"

The Gear flashes a fierce grin at the lump of bloody flesh that used to be the mastermind behind this horror show but her bravado quickly fades as an involuntary gurgle twists her face and she vomits a spray of pale pink fluid onto the floor. She stares at the puddle of her own vital essence, giving it an almost indignant frown.

"Hey... you're not supposed to be... on the outside. Get back in here, you..."

Whatever she had been planning to say is interrupted by another bout of pink spew. Alright, point taken body, no more talking. With a grunt of effort, the Gear manages to lift one of her arms to the spine pinning her shoulder to the wall. It takes another Herculean surge to yank it free of her body. One by one, Max frees herself from the wicked barbs, all of which take small chunks of her as payment.

Sensing that she's pushed herself well beyond the limits imposed by her current level of restriction, the chimera's neon eyes squint as she looks around for something to use the last of her energy on. Atticus's death throes seem to have done quite a number on pretty much everything in the room. Even his own creations failed to escape the hungry tendrils completely. And, with most of the undead having been reclassified as proper dead again, that just leaves the few stragglers as the remaining threats.

Picking the target that seems most likely to start munching on one of her fallen human allies, the girl wills herself into motion. Her top-heavy anatomy proves of great use here as the oversized arms make it easy to propel herself mostly by leaning forward. She staggers and slips across the gory battlefield, her legs threatening to give out several times, but by some miracle the Gear manages to hurl herself into range and unleash a wild torrent of uncontrolled violence upon the strange creature attempting to eat the cave woman.

Claws rake, fangs flash, and purple fists smash. Then the tiny bio-weapon topples over, every last mote of her energy expended in a last ditch defense. She just hopes it's enough.

COMBATSYS: Max can no longer fight.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Buck
[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           1/=======/=======|

COMBATSYS: Atticus knocks away Roxana with Hydra Evolution.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Buck
[                       \\\\\\\  <
Roxana           2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|

COMBATSYS: Roxana catches Acid Spit from Wraith with Scorpion's Embrace EX.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                        \\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Buck
[                      \\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/---<<<<|

[ROXANA]
Coco comes up beside Roxana to give the container some 'Team Toxique' treatment. They hit it for double damage, which brings a smile to the scorpion-fighter's face. "Thanks! I'm happy to have you here with me." She tells her mentor.

For a brief moment the Nebraskan feels somewhat calmer, but then all hell breaks loose, as the scientist surrenders to the full extent of his madness. He's clearly failing fast, but he's still got time for one more fierce attack. Rox finds herself hooked by a tendril and tossed into the air. She flies across the room, before crashing head-first into the cold hard floor.

She manages to control her tears, blinking them back rapidly. Though she's barely breathing, she forces herself to stand, only to be faced with acid being vomited towards her. Perhaps it's this prospect or perhaps it's self-preservation that sees Rox shifting fully into her arachnid form. Four extra armoured limbs sprout from her sides and she brings these up to act as a barrier between her and the bile. Her skin sizzles but the corrosive liquid only briefly bubbles before vanishing from her form.

Starting to back away to safety, Rox shoots a glance around the whole room, surveying if anyone else has survived Atticus and his allies. As she hears Buck's question, she raises a claw in the air. "I am." She says softly. "Just about."

COMBATSYS: Coco blocks Atticus' Hydra Evolution.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                            \\  < >  /////////                     ]
Coco             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Buck
[                      \\\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/---<<<<|

[COCO]
The next container successfully sundered, Coco staggers backward to admire her handiwork, her eyes grown glossy with pain and fatigue. This battle has been one more tribulation in what has seemed a never-ending series of such since the arrival of the New Fighting Generation's members on Isla Zaca. Keijo at the pool, a brutal battle on the beach, getting swallowed by a giant snake, fighting off a horde of hybrids atop Radio ZACK - and now, smashing zombies and animal-unfriendly lab equipment in a lab while she and her friends are pursued by a relentlessly murderous mutant scientist.

As she turns her blood-streaked gaze to her partner through it all, Coco quietly reckons that it's probably the best vacation that she can remember.

Not that she can remember half the vacations she's been on lately.

*SKREEEEEEE*

Coco turns toward the sight of a blade-tipped tentacle driving toward her as the doctor's corpse explodes, silently and reflexively swearing off spag bol for the rest of her potentially short existence. She throws up her hands, putting her forearms together in a boxing guard as she closes her eyes and tries to will forth that impermeable sense of self that her psychic training has, in crucial moments past, allowed her to manifest physically.

She shudders and gasps as she feels the blade stab through her forearm.

Opening her eyes, she sees the bone-barb spike hovering millimeters away from her eye.

Clenching her teeth, she rips the sickening tentacle free, wrenches the barb through, and lets it fall to the ground.

"Ow."

Lurching forward, she pulls the piece of bone lodged in her side out, her eyes searching drunkenly for a target.

It's then that they fall on the last two containers, their blue glow reflecting in her silver irises as the light starts fading fast.

"Imogen, stop making ugly monster babies," Coco demands, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

<< Unauthorized override request. Facility administrator privileges required. As Doctor Atticus Blaine's vital signs are no longer detected, administrator privileges have automatically been transferred to the second-in-command. >>

"Just as I thought; she's like a shitty Alexa," Coco murmurs as she narrows her eyes. Her vision is faltering. In its place, she focuses her mind's eye, locking it on the mind of the lurking wraith as she feels the cold, clammy embrace of exsanguination drawing her toward oblivion. Then, flipping forward into a singular scything kick, she brings her leg crashing toward the tank labelled 07!

COMBATSYS: Coco can no longer fight.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Chameleon blocks Buck's Shock & Awe.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Ayala successfully hits Predator with Triple Kick EX.

[                         \\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Max successfully hits Predator with Maximum Carnage.

[                         \\\\\  < >                                ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Coco successfully hits 7th Container with #Cobra's Fang#.

[                         \\\\\  < >                                ]
Chameleon        2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Predator
[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

[ATTICUS]
The glass front of the seventh tank shatters as Coco's final kick crashes down on it, crushing the lizard trapped within like a bug in a soda can before it can breathe.

<< Specimen Number Seven, Wraith, not detected... >>

At the same time, Buck's arm is caught be the chameleon's own limb. The creature struggles with the shifter in an attempt to turn the tables and slash him to ribbons, but then, Buck's biopowers activate, sending waves of electricity through its barely-perceptible body. The smell of burning meat fills the air as the wet reptile's chameleonic skin goes haywire, patches of variegated flesh appearing here and there until it goes limp, smoke rising off of its blackened corpse.

Still stuck in its deadly spin, the rolling Predator is bounced back and forth between Ayala's kicks and Maximum's fists like a pinball, before Ayala's final kick combines with Maximum's flashing fangs to send the blood-soaked frogshark's leg flying. Ironically, the deadly talon of the severed limb goes flying right through the glass of the eighth container, severing its sibling's head like something out of a Final Destination film and rapidly filling the blue fluid with red blood before the thin fracture in the tank spiderwebs out and floods more blood onto the floor.

As the room starts to go still and silence falls over the scene of absolute carnage, it seems that Buck and Roxana have survived this horror movie.

Until the sound of hissing comes from somewhere in the mist...

COMBATSYS: Chameleon takes no action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Predator
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  //                            ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
                                  >  /////////////////             ]
                                  |=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Chameleon can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2         Predator
[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  //                            ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
                                  >  /////////////////             ]
                                  |=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Predator can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Wraith focuses on its next action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\==-----\1    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Predator successfully hits 8th Container with Decapitator.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    4th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  //                            ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 4th Container takes no action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container
[                          \\\\  <
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 4th Container can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                        \\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
5th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container
[                          \\\\  <
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 5th Container takes no action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  //                            ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 5th Container can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    6th Container
[                          \\\\  < >  //                            ]
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 6th Container takes no action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container
[                          \\\\  <
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 6th Container can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container
[                          \\\\  <
7th Container    2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 7th Container takes no action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 7th Container can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    8th Container


[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 8th Container takes no action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|
[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: 8th Container can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Wraith           0/-------/-----==|
[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Buck             1/-------/=======|>>>>---\-------\0           Roxana

[BUCK]
Buck grins wide as the eel electricity does its thing and fries the heck out of the chameleon thing. "I really need to send Kenzo some flowers for giving me that idea in our first fight." He mutters under his breath. That technique has served him well during the two runs of NFG and its still proving effective.

After all the chaos, the sound of near quiet is almost like a buzzing in his ears. He's on his last legs and he knows it, his freakishly quick healing being the only reason he's still standing, and even that can only stretch so far.

He reaches down and picks up the rocket launcher, gripping it in his hand as he surveys the room. "Is it over?" He asks softly to the only person he sees still stirring, Roxana. "I think it's time we get the medics in here an..."

Buck's ears visably twitch. The habit of keeping his senses honed to more than human paying off. His eyes slide towards the mist, the Oklahoman squinting in that direction.

From a loop on the strap, he pulls another rocket and slams it home into the barrel of the launcher. "Nope. Nope. I'm done with this stupid lab."

He's not even going to take chances here, leveling the launcher on his shoulder as he aims into the mist. Surely this buiding can take another impact and not fall in on their heads, right? Right.

He pulls the trigger, smoke billowing out the back of the launcher as it once more sends its explosive payload speeding across the room and towards the hissing in the mists.

[ROXANA]
Coco falls but takes out another container on her way down. The scorpion gives her a concerned look before her eyes are back on Buck at the sound of him speaking. "I think it's over." She begins to respond, but then she hears it too, there's definitely hissing.

As her fellow American uses his full firepower, Rox rushes over towards the strange sound, swiping her claws out into space to see if she can find some flesh. Feeling their last remaining enemy in the lab, she turns away from them, bending over backwards and then slashing them with both claws if she's able to connect. Dropping down into a bridge, she starts swinging her claws up by her sides to slash further at their opponent from this strange angle, fully demonstrating her flexibility.

COMBATSYS: Buck successfully hits Wraith with Rocket Launcher.

[                          \\\\  <
Wraith           1/------=/=======|
[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Buck             0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0           Roxana

COMBATSYS: Roxana successfully hits Wraith with Double Scorpion Slash.

[                                <
Wraith           1/---====/=======|
[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Buck             0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0           Roxana

[ATTICUS]
Blood splatters from the concealed creature as Roxana's claws find their quarry. Hissing with angst, the bloodied final monster leaps at Roxana, attempting to pin her down and start retaliating with its own claws before trying to bite into her shoulder hungrily. It's at that moment, though, that the second rocket comes screaming out of the mist, slamming into the creature and carrying it with an unholy shriek across the laboratory-come-catacomb to hit the wall before detonating, sending lizard limbs flying in every direction. A severed tail lands at Buck's feet, still thrashing as the saurian's genetically inherited defensive mechanism continues to work independent of its obliterated body.

Unfortunately, there are no medics. At least, cat-like bioweapons with curative saliva notwithstanding. In fact, there's little hope of salvation from the sealed chamber as the rumbling above intensifies and pieces of the ceilingwork start to drop down on the grated steel floor.

<< Warning. Structural integrity is failing. Please contact your local administrator to request lockdown override before following the lit indicators to the nearest available exit. Available personnel with administrator privileges currently include: Sullivan, Veronica. Hamilton, Lisa. If you'd like me to contact one of these administrators, please say, 'Imogen, call' and then the name of your preferred administrator. >>

The 'shitty Alexa,' previously introduced as 'Imogen,' starts to repeat its message as the lighting flickers and sparks fall from the fixtures above and equipment below.

<< Warning... >>

COMBATSYS: Wraith can no longer fight.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Buck             0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0           Roxana

[BRAUN]
The Beastman's regenerative powers have been working overtime to keep him alive and yet the best they can do is the bare minimum to keep death at bay As she tended to him, Max's own supernatural senses would no doubt see the makai-blooded bruiser's flesh struggling to knit itself back together as it warred with the poison, ichor and whatever else it was that had been soaked into him through the wounds gouged into him and the sheer chaos of the environment. But he's holding on..and when her healing salve itself is administrated - that seems to do jump start the process even further.

His eyes flicker open and then shutter again, catching the hazy yet violent movements of Gear as she continues to defend him. He lifts his head up and then drops it back down again, muttering out, "..Max...?"

The last moments of the fight play out without the massive man's awareness. Darkness swirls about him and his senses continue to fade in and out until, finally, that artifical voice sounds the alert of the impending destruction of everything around them...and Brauns' eyes open up in full to look upon the ruined battlefield and the battered survivors.

'Wh....what's happening?" he rumbles before trying to sit up only to grit his teeth in agony from the process and end up laying his head back down again.

"...Alright.. I. think this is officially bad."

[AYALA]
Ayala does not have regenerative powers, unlike Braun, or some other cat-like darkstalker individuals--Ayala however is able to somehow pull herself up back from the deep black pit of unconsciousness, completely bewildered at first. She wasn't seeing glimpses of her ancestors, or anything so quaint--she was more dreaming--a dream only half-rememebred which instead broke into the sound of klaxons and commotion as she was brought back into that horrid lab. Probably the last place she wanted to be.

"Shit... Ayala back here," she groaned and immediately felt a wave of fire-like pain wash over her--her vision focusing as she can see someone still fighting--the shark man was no longer there, at least there was that. She probably half expected to awake with it chewing on one of her arms or legs, but this is not the case.

"Braun?" With great effort, Ayala attempts to stand, but she is unsteady. She looks over to where the feline man is sprawled out, moving over to him slowly, if she can, and would attempt to try and help him up--or drag him potentially to safety, if she can.

"Mutant man is dead--where are the others?" she asks, still pretty confused. Blood and sweat stung at her eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on.

[BUCK]
Buck rather unceremoniously tosses the expended rocket launcher aside once its clear there's no more enemies left standing. Well, that and the thing is officially out of ammo, and no doubt he wouldn't be allowed to bring it back on the boat as a souvenir. With a heavy sigh he turns his attention on letting his body work on stitching itself back together, like the beastman, his wounds start closing, acid burns returning to healthy pink skin. It's not a instant process, but its far from slow healing either.

The klaxons have him wincing, and he even lets go of the enhanced hearing, glaring up at the speakers from which shitty Alexa speaks. "I'm pretty sure both of those people are out of commission, too, you stupid robot." It's really more for him to grip to himself than towards the AI assistant.

Regardless, he begins to pick his way through the debris and detritus of the combat towards where his mentee, Braun, and Ayala have congregated. "Anyone need a lift?" He asks, already ready to help someone to their feet to limp along if needed, though he takes a moment to look around with a decidedly noticeable frown. "If we can find an exit." He mutters, the eternal optimist for once sounding not so sure of that eventuality.

COMBATSYS: Buck has left the fight here.

[                       \\\\\\\  <
Roxana           0/-------/-======|

[MAX]
"Nnnngh..."

From her place on the floor amidst a pile of her own blood and an unholy mess of mixed viscera that only God could sort out at this point, the Gear slowly lifts her head. Half-open eyes blearily scan the room with a slow tilt of her head as she fights to keep herself conscious. Considering just about everything is covered in blood or on fire, they either won or lost rather horrifically. A few more moments of looking around brings the last two figures still standing into view. After a moment to focus on them she realizes with a sigh that they're friendly.

It takes a Herculean effort to push herself up onto all fours. Whatever Atticus had turned into had been a real nasty piece of work, managing to siphon an extremely unhealthy amount of her blood away even in its final death throes. Max doesn't actually have internal organs that need liquid nourishment to carry oxygen or enzymes around but she does need seithr to survive and that strawberry milk flowing through her veins is pretty much concentrated raw magic. And Mr. Slurpy Straw took pretty much all of it.

Braun volunteers for the role of Captain Obvious of the S.S. Up Shit Creek which makes Max cough out a weak laugh. She can't really blame him. He's not exactly firing on all cylinders right now either. Fortunately, the Neanderthal is in good enough shape to help him along. She'd love to have the chance to impress the big guy but right now she's barely managing to keep from falling over.

Pushing all the way upright puts that claim to the test again. Her vision swims nauseatingly and the little Gear almost pukes another mouthful of magical vomit onto the floor. Her jaw clenches defiantly - not because she's too proud to throw up but because she needs to keep every scrap of remaining energy she has inside her body rather than using it to decorate the linoleum. Swallowing everything that tried to come up, she finds herself wishing it actually tasted like strawberry milk rather than the mixture of bile and saline that coats her tongue. The girl sticks her tongue out, making the kind of face that parents warn their children will get stuck there if they do it too often.

"Hugh... I never thought I'd say this but... I'm definitely asking Mom to make my blood more palatable."

The pleasantly indifferent computerized female voice once more warns them of the impending disaster. Her mentor's heated retort draws the wounded Gear's gaze his way while bringing her attention to the issue at hand. Namely, the lack of a clear exit.

A faintly smug grin crosses the girl's face as her fellow shape-shifter ponders a solution to their dilemma. Well, she might not be able to breath fire like everyone else seems to but there's apparently one thing she can do that he can't.

Shuffling as quick as she can manage over to the steaming pile of meat that used to be Atticus, Max drops heavily down onto her knees and starts to rake through the bloody remains. It's difficult to tell what used to be what thanks to Buck's application of high-explosives to the former director's chest but after a minute or so of searching she finds what she's looking for.

With a triumphant 'yessss!', the bio-weapon pulls what looks like a chunk of skull out of the assorted bits of red and purple. Her claws neatly carve something out of the attached chunk of flesh and she unceremoniously pushes it into her mouth and swallows it whole. A disturbing lump travels down Max's throat, pausing about halfway to her stomach, before the muscle around her neck starts to twist and ripple beneath the skin.

Pushing herself out of the gore, she wipes at her hands idly but only ends ups shifting the colors of her ruined outfit to a different shade of disgusting. Turning around to the face the others, the cat girl puts her hands on her hips confidently and tilts her head back as she opens her mouth to speak.

Atticus's voice calls from beyond the grave - or a rather close impression of it. It's hard to know exactly how much to squeeze his vocal chords to get the right sound without some trial and error.

"Imogen. Cease all production of bioweapons within the facility immediately. And lift the lockdown, opening only the doors between this office and the nearest exit. I don't want any of our unruly guests getting in the way of evacuation."

Turning her gaze back to Buck, she wiggles her eyebrows at him mischievously. Of course it remains to be seen if the AI finds her act convincing enough to comply but considering their other options are to perform a seance or dig through solid steel it seems worth a try.

COMBATSYS: Roxana fails to counter Hungering Predator from Wraith with Deadly Scorpion.
- Power fail! -


COMBATSYS: Roxana can no longer fight.


[ROXANA]
Roxana finds herself coated in crimson fluid, as the chameleon creature is wounded by her claws. She tries to raise her pincers, intent on grabbing at the monster and holding it in place, so it can do her no damage in revenge. Perhaps she's exhausted from battle, or maybe she simply misjudges her movement, but instead of subduing her fellow predator, the scorpion instead slips into its trap. As she feels herself scratched and bitten, she lets out a loud cry.

It's only Buck's blast that saves Rox from a far worse fate and as she slumps to the floor of the science lab, she's only severely injured, rather than permanently put down. Once still, her shape starts to shift and she starts to again resemble a human female. Her black eyes blink open as she looks towards Braun when he speaks. "I agree with your assessment. This is officially bad. It could have been far worse though."

[COCO]
As Max waggles her eyebrows at Buck, the camera pans over to where a purple-haired fighter slumped against the husk of the broken seventh container is staring at the Gear with an expression of open horror.

"I can't believe I woke up after passing out from blood loss just in time to see that," she says as she starts trying to push herself up to her feet, holding her wounded side as she uses anything she can to steady herself. "That's got to be the grossest thing I've ever seen."

It's not the grossest thing she's ever seen. After all, she once saw her parents do the Whoops Upside Your Head with dozens of other rich people at a charity retro night. Fortunately, she's been to enough Full Moon Parties to forget that that ever happened.

<< Doctor Atticus Blaine, your status has been set to 'Deceased.' Updating to 'Available' now. >>

"What? No way!" Coco expresses her wonder weakly.

<< Terminating all current bioweapon projects. ...No projects currently in progress. Unlocking all doors en route to nearest exit. Your nearest evacuation point is: Rear Security Deployment Zone. >>

The entire facility trembles once more as the lights on the door to the laboratory turn green.

<< Please follow the indicator lights to Rear Security Deployment Zone. >>

"Oh, sweet. Let's go, guys!" Coco says as she starts limping toward the doorway.

Before she can get there, though, the door slides open - revealing the towering figure of Omega Zack standing in the exit.

"Hey, it opened! Funkalicious!" the statuesque, souped-up table-turner says as he steps into the chamber, adjusting his sunglasses before frowning. "Damn. Did somebody put tomato soup in the microwave? I was wondering where J.D. went..."

He crinkles his nose. "Anyway, any of you sexy babies need a hand gettin' out of here?" he asks, offering his musclebound arms, the cuts and scrapes of his previous battles having faded enough to leave him looking fresher than the fighters who've just shared the ordeal of Atticus' final hour. And by the way that he's looking at everyone, 'sexy babies' seems to be his 'select all' term of address.

Log created on 11:42:43 10/09/2024 by Atticus, and last modified on 07:47:21 10/30/2024.