THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012: UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, 11PM
They came well after dark, so the kids wouldn't see.They came in boats, from the south side of the island, where they were furthest from sight, and they came with their lights out. They met Gordon Gladney and passed along the day's food and weaponry, though they were not the usual couriers of these things. When that was taken care of, they did not leave.
Instead, they got to work.
They wore dark clothes and carried a variety of equipment. Though there were only about a dozen of them at the moment, they set to work covering as much ground as possible, sweeping through the woodlands and the amusement park first, collecting everything that wasn't here months ago when the AT set up shop. They started simply, removing weapons and bags and marking the locations of bodies for later.
The cameras were left for last, of course. After the last two versions, trust was at a premium. The men and women on the cleanup crew were not the best and brightest the AT had to offer. They were the people expendable enough to be left on the ground at the end but reliable enough to handle a simple job without too much hand-holding. Nevertheless, as a precaution, they were observed by those in charge.
Cleanup usually took a few days, with a much larger crew—and that part would come—but now, even with the broadcast delayed, it was vital to get the first parts done as quickly as possible. So, while the remaining few dozen kids fought and died and hid and slept, the Athro Taskforce was packing up shop.
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012: UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, 9AM
"Good morning, kids." Tracen Danya's voice was slightly subdued at first today, and a crackle of static cut through his greeting. There was a pause for a moment, the sound of a throat clearing, and then all hints of hesitation were gone. "Another fine day's work from you all, if a bit lacking compared to the past. We're getting down to the wire now. I want each one of you who's left to take a moment. Think of your bedroom. Think of the street you grew up on. Think of your family. "You're close to having that all back. Just don't make the same mistakes these people did.
"Darren Fox jumped off a shipping container and landed hard. A few days late to opt out, but better now than tomorrow, I suppose.
"Ruby Forrester shot Sharon Austin to death after the latter prompted an ill-advised firefight. Shows why crossbows fell out of fashion.
"Shortly after that, we had a twofer out at the docks. Ian Valmont bludgeoned Yuan Stephanie Chan to death, but got himself shot in the leg in the process. Since he was hanging out in a danger zone at the time, that didn't end well for him.
"Of course, he wasn't the only one to score a Pyrrhic victory. Following in the esteemed footsteps of the Kronwall brothers, Cody Patton and Eliza Patton removed each other from contention. Sibling bonds only count for so much in the end.
"Next off, we had a string of people who decided the best way to handle things was up close and personal after a little deception. Leona Van Kamp rejected Jenna Rhodes' proposed plan of escape, and provided a counteroffer in the form of a shard of glass. Katarina Konipaski, meanwhile, got the drop on a sleeping Rosemary Michaels and strangled her to death. Marcus Leung, for his part, offered to help Rachael Langdon, then stabbed her the moment she dropped her guard.
"Bucking the trend, Ian Williams put all that subtlety aside and shanked Alda Abbate in a nice clean fight, completing his sibling pair.
"Proving that even in light of her teammate's death the softball team is not to be underestimated, Kathryn Nguyen put her sports training to use and beaned Carlos Lazaro fatally with a baseball.
"Last but not least, Joe Carassco shot Kyran Dean to death when he decided he was too cool for respecting firepower.
"So now that that's done with, just a few little matters left. I want you all to stay out of the Western Beach from now on, except for Ms. Konipaski, who has once more won our little vote here at HQ with her tactics. Keep up the good work, and head to Shelson's Beach for a weapon, grilled salmon and baked potatoes, a pitcher of apple juice, and a banana split.
"I'll talk to everyone left tomorrow. Good luck, and remember what—and who—you're fighting for."
DAY NINE: FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012
Weather: As was the case yesterday, the day is bright and clear. The air is mostly still except along the coast during the early day, but becomes pronounced in the evening, with chilly winds beside the sea. Temperatures are roughly equivalent to yesterday's, with a high of 69F, 20.5C at 4pm. Tonight is four nights after the new moon. The ninth announcement will come at 9 AM on June 23.
As always, here are the rolls for this cycle:
1. Iselle Ovaelle-Vandermeer (Betaknight)
2. Michael Mitchellson (dmboogie) - Timothy Abrams (Skraal, Hero Card used)
3. Kam So'oialo (Namira)
4. Deanna Hull (D/N)
5. Paris Ardennes (Ruggahissy)
6. Maynard Francis Hurst (SansaSaver)
7. Owen Kay (Pippin)
Three days for cards and DZs, and a further seven for deaths.
Finally, congratulations to MrMissMrs Random, who won the BDA this month for the death of Rosemary Michaels. The appropriate quote nomination threads will be up shortly.