Disclaimer: I do not own the characters to The Office. They are owned by MSNBC. Italics denote talking head interviews.
"Michael? Michael?" Angela was calling out as she and a search party was looking for their AWOL companion Michael Scott whom had slipped out of Schrute Farms as the rest was eating. He had jumped the perimeter walls, leaving an obvious trail of foot prints, broken twigs, and then they found his wallet.
"Where can he go?" Kevin asked up to Angela whom shrugged her tiny shoulders. Moving through the woods one behind the others at five paces apart they, with the exception of Dwight, wore their bright colors because they had no other proper fitting clothes to blend in with their environments.
"He doesn't have water or food' Angela said, "I don't think he even has a weapon."
Behind her was Andy who said, "Yeah," picking through the thick underbrush and ducking his head under low hanging branches, "Though, I wouldn't worry about it. Chances are he will be running around in circles in here without a compass." He was basing his logic on thick woods ability to confuse the body's natural sense of walking in a straight line. Without a good point of reference the dominate leg of the body would take over and without their knowledge one can walk in a large circle. He held inside that they would find Michael cowering at the base of a tree a few hundred meters inside the woods, tired, hungry and they would be back at the farm before dark.
"Michael! Michael!" Angela called out whilst still progressing deeper into the woods.
"Angela, be quiet, zombies can hear you" Andy hushed.
Zombies? Out here? They could be anywhere. It takes just one that is what they kept telling themselves. It takes just one to ruin their day and if they were bit Dwight would not waste his time and put a bullet between their eyes. No remorse or hesitation, if you were bit that was it. With such a small group losing one would be a serious blow to their overall strength but in Dwight's ideology; survival of the fitness. If you bit then you were weak and deserved what you got dealt.
Walking point Dwight held a compass in his left hand and reading it from the hip. It would not be a pinpoint straight line but it was better than the time consuming method of constantly shooting a reference point with the compass or going blind. Knowing the land well, Dwight opted to take his compass just in case, but after walking around for an hour they had gone beyond what he had originally known; now they were approaching a thirty meter tall rocky outcropping that they climbed, though throughout this entire search Ryan was bickering, at the tail of the column, with himself at being selected to find Michael, a man that had been pestering him since first joining the company and it was constantly hinted that Michael may have a man crush on him and it creeped Ryan out. He did not want to be here, he wanted to be somewhere else, a warm beach in Hawaii or in California having the wave wash along the limitless length feeling the soft sand between his toes.
Kevin was having fun exploring the woods. It was cool and slightly moist here and with his weight dwindling he possessed more energy and eagerness that he had not known since he was a kid and when confronted by the hill, and wearing boots that had been dropped by the military, he went up like a monkey. "This is so much fun" he said smiling with his line lips.
Keeping his focus Dwight again picked up Michael's trail when we saw bits of his trousers clinging to the tips of shrubbery. His trail was erratic, now it was South-south-west, deeper into the woods and he was trying to remember what was in the area, some dominate point of the landscape that could draw everyone's attention then he remembered the Keystone Natural Gas facility. He saw it only once after it was constructed. It sat on a dome hill that had been cleared for three hundred meters all around by the company alongside a small stream. Many farms and land owners had protested its construction as a dangerous building if it went up. That, he figured, is where Michael would be going deducing it by the general direction of his trail, but what he did not understand was how Michael knew about it, perhaps his sixth sense was telling him.
Those that did not go on the search party were now actively deriding Dwight, his policies, and expressed their thoughts about what has happened without the fear of retaliation, though Mose was lingering around somewhere. Every now and again his head would appear in a window or in a corner but when caught he would run without saying a word. The same helicopters that dropped a supply bundle to Charles' group also flew over and dropped the same type onto Shrute Farms. Opening it up they looked through the contents and read the pamphlets with a mixture of confusion and wonder.
"Those that seek to exploit the conditions to our country by openly waging war against the United States government and its people will be considered traitors and be arrested and placed on trial and punished accordingly," Stanley read, "do not" he emphasized, "Do not attempt to seize government property, do not assist those that wish to carry out attacks on government personnel or citizens. Those that do will also be considered as traitors." Rather harsh. Reading the paper he dropped it onto the table and slowly sipped his coffee.
Since receiving word that Michael had flown the coop Charles his group at the house was rather indifferent about the development. They were too far away and in the woods, no sense of sending anyone from their meager group to assist but they said they would 'keep an eye open.' In Michael came stumbling towards their perimeter.
"Honestly, where can he go?" Jim asked to Pam as they were waiting for a turn at the shower where Erin was already ahead of them.
"I don't know," she shrugged, "Since this all happened…I think he just can't take it. I'm just afraid that if he snaps he may whip out a gun and shoot himself or someone else." Pam did not hate Michael but he was not a man she would trust to make difficult decisions especially under high stress such as this.
However, it was not all bad news. Not long after receiving word about Michael there was call on their survival radio that another pair of Blackhawk helicopters were on their way conducting a SAR, Search and Rescue. Because of their strong defensive position Charles's group was not in their sites, instead they were picking up individuals or small groups that had sought refuge on roof tops or hills who could not live much longer on their own. When the helicopters were overhead they kicked out another supply bundle that landed outside the fence. Bringing it back in the canister contained more of the same, ammunition, extra food, but also a plastic wrapped stack of leaflets that they were asked to hand out to other survivors if they encountered them. The military has improved since the beginning of the outbreak and for the first time compulsory service was implemented since Vietnam. There was a desperate need for people to fill uniforms, even women were allowed in. All National Guard, Active Reserve, and inactive Reserves were called in and even US Navy ships that had been set for the scrap yards were refitted and put to sea with the hopes of saving more people that had gathered along the coasts.
When Erin emerged from the bathroom, her head wrapped in a clean towel she felt refreshed. "To think that they would have to bathe in a tub in the backyard and filled with buckets," she said laughing it off. Shrute Farms had one bathroom under the porch thus they implemented this extra bathing facility and the women were told to bath here and, of course, they refused.
Reading one of the leaflets Oscar went over one of the guidelines that the government covered concerning criminals and secessionists. "If you capture criminals or secessionists in the act of committing crimes restrain and hold them until they can be taken in by proper military or law enforcement for trial. Do not fire upon them unless in self-defense of yourself or a third party. Do not assume the role of the court."
Oscar kept reading determining what they were trying to tell him. The courts were still in place the government was still trying to cling to their power and prevent it all from degrading to despotism and one of those methods was still holding to the rights afforded to them by the Constitution.
Organizing the canister drop there was a thick packet included that had a detailed map of Pennsylvania. Now that the government had been able to organize itself better they now could produce a map that showed assembly areas where people could go for evacuation as well as places to avoid the obvious being the large cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburg but also included was Scranton. Instructions were written on the back of the card, "This map is to be shown to all people wishing to seek government aid," Also included in the packet was a list of instructions in regards to their encounter with the military and law enforcement.
"When approaching a military position; announce your presence to the sentries and obey their directions. Empty your firearms and sling them and approach the perimeter with hands in the air. Obey all instructions that are given. Failure to do so the sentries will open fire. All weapons including firearms, blades, or explosives will be confiscated. Inform the guards if anyone in your group is ill or in need of proper medical treatment and also inform where you have been and where others have been seen."
Changing her clothes and dawning clean socks Erin came back to join Oscar, Darryl, and Jennifer in the kitchen. Jennifer had served a hot breakfast of tomato soup and grilled cheese, the tomatoes coming directly from the garden. It was creamy and sweet, better than the canned stuff and they drank fruit juice that they also made themselves. It was a vacation. Finishing her meal and cleaning her plate Erin glanced outside, at the forest, at it came back what was happening outside, biting her lower lip she said, "I hope that they find Michael."
Finding him was proving to be somewhat easy. Leaving an obvious trail was pointing to where he went but for a man that was inexperienced in nature and on his own he sure went through the woods rapidly. There was another hill up ahead. Going up first Dwight checked the summit to make sure it was clear, that is when he saw the natural gas facility in a gap through the trees. Dropping a rope to help the others help Dwight looked the place over with a pair of binoculars.
"Damn," he muttered. The site was overrun. The perimeter gate had several large gaps in it and zombies were lingering around inside and out with more being drawn in by their low chorus. The facility sat on the slight hill with a dirt trail going towards Dwight's position on the hill before hooking to his left and snaking off to an area he could not see. Just to the right of the turn there was a dip in the earth and beside it was a small rolling stream. Thus far the zombies did not know they were there but Michaels' trail also ended. It was a guess on where he could have gone. Sitting on the hill for ten minutes all they could see were zombies milling around until Kevin jerked his head to the right and pointed, "Hey, look, it's Michael."
Moving towards them along the banks of the stream, by himself, was Michael Scott, his lips were moving but they could not comprehend what he was saying. He was not observing noise discipline. If the zombies hear just one word they could turn and be upon him. He was carrying a heavy stick in one hand, holding it by one end and letting the other drag across the mud and rocks of the stream behind him.
"Michael, Michael" Angela whispered but she was too far away.
Dwight reached for his mirror to send a signal using the sun but the trees were thwarting his efforts. They had to find a way to reach him or to signal him about the danger and to move away so they could reach him.
Dwight began looking for a way to get down to him on foot, the slope was even steeper on the other side going down to the stream and going down this face Dwight was worried that they would be exposed to the zombies' unblinking eye thus he decided to go back down from which they came using the same rope was a ladder, go around the hill, and find Michael. It would take a while, maybe twenty minutes if they took their time, but it was the only safe way and he ordered it.
Before they could implement their plan the saw Michael doing something on the banks of the stream that seem to confirm their logic that he had finally snapped.
Removing his button shirt and hanging it on a low hanging branch he then removed his soiled and sweat encrusted t-shirt underneath, dipped it into the cool flowing water and then wrapped it around his forehead tying the ends behind his head.
His shoes and socks were off as well.
He then began dunking his fingers into the mud at his feet stroked the thick across his face. "This is my war paint," Michael said to himself, "I am one with Mother Earth. She is my shield, she is my face, and I am part of her spirit. With her guidance and using her as a weapon I will win."
"Has he gone mad?" Angela asked.
"I think he's gone past that" Andy replied.
"We have to get to him before he does something brash," Dwight replied as Michael rose up from the bank, tip toed through the brush, and began to move towards the facility.
"You there, the salesmen of death," he called out pointing the tip of his war club at his adversaries, "My name is Michael Scott. I'm a warrior of mother Earth…"
Holding his club up on high Michael's shrill voice punched out, "Leeroy Jenkins!" and off he went.