Well results are in; only six of you ended up voting and I didn't feel like putting this off much longer.

Votes for the coastal evacuation: 2

Votes for the airport evacuation: 4

Surprise for you at the bottom, and no I'm not spoiling it here so read the damn story.

The Pelanoi Accounts

Chapter Three: New Faces

The dead man stood in the middle of the street, rolling around its head slowly at a constant, consistent pace. It was almost hypnotic. Every so often a gunshot or another scream signifying another life lost reverberated throughout the haunted city and the creature would open and close its ruined maw. But it wouldn't move. It never moved.

Kit continued observing the creature for a moment longer before drawing both his combat knives, one held in a reverse grip. He crept silently towards the creature, making sure to avoid crunching the scattered glass from a nearby crashed car. Closer and closer he drew, the foetid creature none the wiser to his presence. Barely a metre away. He could feel tiny beads of sweat rolling down his neck as he prepared to pounce and silence the creature.

The creature turned.

This shouldn't be. He had made no discernible sound as he'd snuck towards the dead man, and nothing before had so much as fazed the creature. It was almost as if it had simply sensed his presence.

The creature raised its arms; one a bloody ruin, shards of glass piercing its tan suit sleeve and took an unsteady step towards him. It opened its bloody mouth – a mess of broken teeth and savaged flesh. Kit leapt –

– and sunk one of the blades into its shoulder, driving it to the ground. The monster clawed for Kit's face but he snapped his head back, allowing the clutching hand to grasp air. Pinned to the ground, the creature was unable to defend itself as Kit raised his last knife dramatically before sinking it into the dead man's eye socket. The creature shuddered horrifically before its arms fell limply to the ground.

Kit gave the street a quick check to make sure his activity hadn't attracted any observers before holding up his hand and motioning for the others that the coast was clear for the time being.

The other eight members of the group emerged from within a side alley. Tiffany strolled up towards the dead man before nodding to Kit, impressed. Ellen followed and gave the body a gentle nudge with her blue running shoes.

'I still say you should have let me take care of it.' She said.

'No one doubts your abilities, I just thought –' Tiffany started.

'I never said anything about doubting,' Ellen interrupted.

'I just thought,' Tiffany continued, ignoring her, 'that cause we let you handle the first few times you deserved a break. We've been travelling for a while now; we're all on edge – even if some of us won't admit it.' She said pointedly, but not unkindly.

Ellen snorted in derision and stalked away, stopping behind the wreck of a PDF vehicle, checking further down the street. She turned back after a moment.

'Bunch of 'em down the street; couple of those freaks from the mall too. No way are we getting through there unless one of you has a bazooka you've not told us about.'

'Then we're not getting through there either,' Tiffany sighed.

'I thought not,' Ellen frowned as she cast a wary glance back down the street.

'So what now GI Jane?' Leah asked, 'the last two roads were blocked off and this one's crawling with monsters. Why don't we just find somewhere to hunker down for a while, I'm tired.'

Randolf glanced at the street, the buildings lining the road before turning to Ethan.

'Hey, what do you think? South Park Avenue?' he asked.

'Looks like it,' Ethan said with a shrug, 'though last I looked South Park Avenue still had that banner up on the Simmons & Co. office building.'

Randolf checked the buildings again.

'Yeah, you're right, not seeing them. So Elias Road then?'

'That'd be my guess.' Ethan nodded, 'but I'm not seeing where you're going with –' he stopped, as if reaching a sudden epiphany.

'Oh… oh! I see what you're thinking… well if it's not been blasted to an even bigger shithole by this crazy crap then it could work. Yeah, yeah, exactly Marcus.'

'What are you talking about?' Cassidy asked the two.

'The slums,' Randolf explained, 'see that back alley there?' he pointed towards an alleyway just a little distance past the crashed PDF vehicle.

'We can cut through them instead of following the city streets,' Randolf explained, leaning on his paddle, 'narrow streets but provided we don't get ourselves cornered it'll cut the time it'll take us to get to the airport by half.'

'I like the sound of that,' Sydney piped up.

'Likewise,' Sema nodded in agreement.

'Alright, then through the slums it is; let's not waste time,' Tiffany motioned for Kit and Ellen to take the lead.

The slums – while paling in comparison to the magnificent, high-rising housing present in the city outskirts – were not quite as bad as the rest of the group were led to believe. Indeed, housing seemed generally of poorer quality, and the streets were only just wide enough for an average sized car to squeeze through, but there was a strange charm to the architecture. It seemed almost comfortable, not outlandish or extravagant like the buildings so common in the inner city.

A gunshot close by startled the group; it was followed almost immediately by shouts and several more shots.

'They sound close,' observed Sydney, who fingered the grip of her bat.

'They sound dead,' Ellen said dismissively, 'those shots will probably bring in dozens of those freaks. We'd better keep moving before they start showing up in numbers.'

A sullen atmosphere descended as they realised that Ellen could well be right. Kit however, thought back to the creature he'd taken down a few minutes beforehand; the dead man hadn't so much as twitched at the noises in the distance, though Kit felt sure it had definitely heard. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he joined Ellen at the front.

The gunshots grew in frequency, ever closer. The shooters seemed to be on the move.

The group passed a burnt-out home, a sedan and another PDF vehicle had somehow lodged themselves in the side of the building and Kit noticed that there was movement in the PDF vehicle. Ellen noticed too and shrugged, continuing down the narrow street, Smith and Wesson in one hand, knife in the other.

Kit eyed the Canadian woman warily. Her attitude towards the rest of the group irritated him in all honesty, but he admitted that she was a more than worthy fighter. He felt himself grimace, remembering how she had brutally and efficiently taken down two wandering undead before. Honestly if it came to a straight-up fight between them, he wasn't entirely sure he could win.

He shook his head. He had to focus. There was no point thinking about things that – in all likelihood – would never come to pass. They all shared a common goal, and each of the different people present was fully aware that to stop and fight amongst themselves would be a death sentence.

He and Ellen turned the tiny street corner at the same time –

– and found themselves face to face with several gun barrels.

The one-sided stand-off continued for several moments before the other group lowered their weapons.

'You've not attacked us, so I guess that means you're human right?' a woman holding a shotgun asked as she lowered the bulky weapon.

Neither Kit nor Ellen replied, giving each other a wary look before turning their eyes back on the group before them.

There were six of them. One wore a torn Elspeth City Police Department uniform and seemed to be in her middle ages, the rest appeared to be civilians; two women and three men. Two of the men looked like they came from the same department store: Carroll's Furniture, their name tags read Steven and Nolan. Steven looked like he'd stepped out of a model shoot, even in his work outfit – an unholy combination of dark green pants and a blinding yellow shirt – didn't diminish the fact that he was a rather attractive young man. Nolan by comparison seemed like he hadn't slept in weeks, the bags under his eyes made him look almost like he was wearing eyeliner.

The other male, and, from the looks of it, the oldest of the group had a receding, grey hairline. He was fairly ugly; a pug face squinting at the two newcomers, age evidently had not treated him well. Despite this, he held the army service revolver like it was second nature to him. A veteran perhaps? The cop seemed to be in her forties and stepped forward with the woman with the shotgun. Sweat ran in rivulets over her dark skin, and Kit noticed with alarm that there appeared to be some sort of wound on her arm.

'Hey,' she greeted, holding out her hand without any hesitation, Kit immediately took a liking to the officer, 'good to see some normal folks. Were worried we might be the last ones left alive on this whole island for a while…' she trailed off, her vision glazing over as she recalled past events. She snapped out of her brief trance before pointing to herself.

'I'm Barbara, and this –' she pointed out each person in the group, starting with Shotgun and working her way to the old man, 'is Marissa, Steven, Nolan, Denise and Ian,' each member gave a brief nod or courteous wave as their name was called. Barbara gave the pair a glance.

'Is there anyone else with –'

'What's going on? It clear or… oh…' Leah rounded the corner, coming face to face with the other lot, the rest followed suit. Barbara forced a chuckle.

'Guess that answers that.'

'A police officer? Thought they were all extinct,' Randolf said, bemused. Barbara shook her head sadly.

'We're an endangered species now, seems most people are on Pelanoi.'

'Wait, what do you mean by that? Sure it's been pretty brutal but it can't have spread that far in two days right?' Sema inquired.

'Afraid not. Just before the Chief sent us out he told us that riots like this were popping up all over the island, and Faraquay went entirely dark about two hours before shit really hit the fan.'

Cassidy took an unsteady step back, absently fingering the data stick in her pocket.

Even if the specimens got loose in Faraquay and in Elspeth, that can't explain how so many outbreaks could occur all across the island. Does Grant & Glukhovsky have that many facilities? I don't think that's possible, not for a comparatively small company like them. There has to be another factor.

The journalist's thoughts distracted her entirely and she failed to notice the noise behind her. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground and there was an inhuman hissing ringing in her ear, brutal and aggressive. She shrieked as she realised that one of those strange, skinless specimens had jumped on her back and was bringing its wicked claws to bear on her.

A loud, resonating blam boomed through the slums. The creature was torn off of her, its left arm shredded and hanging uselessly at the monster's side. The creature hissed in pain and rounded on its attacker. Marissa stood with her feet apart at shoulder's width; her firing stance was perfect –

– but she was out of ammo.

The dark haired woman cursed as she opened the breech and fumbled with some shells she hastily dug from her pocket. The skinless abomination screeched suddenly and launched itself forward with its hind legs. Marissa ducked.

The creature wasn't aiming for her.

A brutal claw sliced through the jugular of the other woman in the group – Denise. The scrawny woman clutched at her ruined throat, desperately trying to stem the torrent of blood that gushed from the gaping wound.

Kit and Ellen sprang into action.

Ellen steadied her aim on her other arm while Kit circled cautiously but quickly around the beast, which was having trouble turning owing to its blasted frontal limb. Barbara raised her own sidearm and let off three quick shots, two shots thudded into the creature's midsection but it showed no sign of having even noticed the assault. Ellen meanwhile had judged her aim steady enough and squeezed the trigger of her weapon. The powerful handgun roared and a large .357 bullet embedded itself in the shoulder of the creature, blowing its other arm off.

The creature whined in what could well be agony, dropping face-first to the concrete on its useless arms. One of the men from the other group – Nolan – stepped forward warily with a hatchet to finish the creature off. It appeared defenceless.

That day, the group learned that the abominations let loose on the city were never defenceless.

Suddenly adjusting its hind legs, the creature launched itself in a similar manner to how it had beforehand and crashed into Nolan, its wicked jaws latched onto his throat, sinking deep.

Kit closed in quickly as the armless freak tugged with its neck, each tug drawing an agonised, breathless gasp from Nolan, who was limp beneath the creature. Finally the creature tore its jaws upward, the bloody remnants of Nolan's neck in its disgusting maw. Kit saw red.

A knife sunk into the creature's spine just at the base of its neck, severing its nervous system and paralyzing it for all intents and purposes. Another knife stabbed into the creature's distended brain; Kit withdrew the weapon and stabbed again, and again, and again, until finally the abomination lay still, unmoving.

The collected individuals were silent for a moment, stunned at the sudden violence that had just broken out. Kit backed away from the dead monster, the two knives he held glistened with blood and cranial fluid. Glancing at himself he found that there was a fair amount of gore spattered on his attire; blood stains adorned his baggy jeans, and his leather coat wasn't much better off.

'What the fuck?!' Randolf shouted, breaking the silence.

'That was…' Sydney started, but turned and retched, Cassidy gave the younger girl a gentle pat on the shoulder, though she was unable to tear her eyes from the carnage before her.

'Fuck this,' the old man said suddenly before backing away, 'those shots'll attract more of those freaks!' he was panicking, his eyes were wide and he was trying to look in a thousand different directions as his brain went into overdrive.

'I ain't waiting around for them to come get me! Not like that! Not like that!'

'Ian, calm down we need to stick together,' Barbara finally regained control of herself and stepped towards Ian, her arms held up as if to placate the old man.

'Hell with that! I'm getting out of here now!' he turned and ran, it didn't seem possible someone that old could run so quickly.

'Ian!' Barbara called, 'damn it!'

She turned to the others, her gaze was wild eyed, she was on the brink of losing control herself. She looked like she was about to talk but then she stopped, scrunched up a fist and pressed the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut for a few moments. When she reopened them, she was in control again.

'Alright… alright,' she looked at Marissa, 'you and Steven tag along with them; I'll go get Ian back.'

'You sure?' the woman asked, 'how will we find each other?'

The officer thought for a moment before casting her eyes on Kit and the others.

'Where are you headed?' she asked curtly.

'The airport, Cassidy here,' she jerked her head in Cassidy's direction, 'said that she overheard they were evacuating people there. You're welcome to join us, probably stand a better shot if we all help each other.' Barbara nodded in agreement.

'Yeah… yeah I think I remember hearing that too… then we'll meet up there. All you need to do is cut through the slums for about ten minutes thataway,' she pointed westward, through a small side-alley, 'and you should come across the highway leading straight to it. We'll meet up there…' she made off, then stopped and turned around.

'Good luck.' She said with sincerity before heading off in Ian's direction.

'Brave woman…' Sema murmured, Ethan snorted.

'Ten says we never see either of them again,' he muttered. Sema shot him a look.

'What?' he asked, 'I'm just being realistic.'

'Um, excuse me?' one of the newcomers – Steven, whose voice was surprisingly deep considering his pretty boy face – asked.

'Should we get going?' his voice seemed a little faint, the death of his co-worker had evidently shaken him.

No one had anything to say to the contrary, so on they continued.

They passed through the side alley and into another narrow street, homes burned all around them and the smell was almost suffocating.

'Let's go! Watch your sides, those things could come from anywhere.'

Randolf brought up the rear; his eyes were practically glued to the woman with the shotgun's attractive derriere. He kept the act going for almost a minute before moving closer.

'So… Marissa is it? Nice name.' Marissa didn't reply, instead fixing him a cold glare with her sapphire eyes.

'I like your eyes too. Nice colour, don't see many like that. Hey, once we're done with all the running, any chance you'd –'

He was abruptly cut off when a burning skinless abomination leapt over a fence, coming to a halt just in front of the group. Its skin sizzled and cracked yet it still continued to move. The thing screeched its agony and its tongue lashed out, punching through Steven's eye socket in an instant.

'Jesus!' Leah cried as she backed away from Steven, who fell to the ground.

The creature withdrew its tongue before screeching once more, a deafening blast rang out and the abomination's blazing head exploded. Marissa pumped the shotgun with an audible ka-chack and loaded another shell. Tiffany nodded in appreciation of a fine shot, while Randolf seemed even more appreciative.

'And you know how to handle guns too; should make things easier,' Marissa didn't stop to listen, and instead stalked off after the rest of the group, who had resumed their hurried pace.

'Fine,' Randolf muttered to himself as he caught up, 'as they say: nothing like the thrill of the chase.'

-X-

The highway was a mess.

The road was packed with crashed, burning or abandoned vehicles, and even from this distance it was easy to see that the dead skulked amidst the carnage. A sign told them that the airport lay roughly ten miles away.

'And all we need to do is wade through a load of dead people…' Ellen said, her tone drier than a desert, 'well… let's not keep 'em waiting.' She said as she palmed her combat knife before striding forwards.

'Don't go too far now,' Tiffany warned, 'those cars could still be occupied; plenty of places to hide.'

'Don't worry Soldier,' Ellen said dismissively, 'I know how to handle myself.'

The ten individuals trekked forwards, as they walked, the distinctive noise of an approaching helicopter echoed through the landscape. All present craned their heads, searching for it.

'Ah! There! There it is!' Sydney cried, pointing towards a dark transport helicopter. Sydney waved her arms and jumped up and down on the spot, trying to get the pilot's attention.

'Hey! Down here! We're over here!' she yelled.

'I've always wondered why people do that,' Ethan wondered aloud as he glanced at the excitable student, 'I mean, he's all the way up there; he's never going to be able to hear you or anything…'

The helicopter flew promptly overhead. It seemed to be heading for Elspeth City.

'Wonder what it's going there for…' Sema thought aloud.

'Some big-wig with a load of cash probably,' Randolf spat, letting everyone know exactly what he thought, 'lazy bastards couldn't even bother to pick us up.'

'Maybe they didn't see us?' Sema offered, 'or maybe they thought we were like… well…' she trailed off, though her gaze wandering towards the graveyard of vehicles told all.

'It doesn't matter,' Tiffany said, 'they didn't stop, we can't stop either; if it's like this all the way to the airport then they might be under siege already. If we want off this island before the planes stop flying then we need to get there as fast as we can.' The group nodded in affirmation before hefting their respective weapons and stalking cautiously, warily towards the highway.

-X-

'Survivors?' the co-pilot asked.

'Definitely,' the woman nodded.

'You get a shot of 'em? Just in case… you know…'

'If I took a shot of every survivor we see we're going to run out of film. Besides, it's not our job to take care of shit like that, it's theirs.' She jerked her head back, indicating their passengers. The co-pilot shivered in his flight suit.

'So where do you think they're headed?' he asked after a brief moment.

'Where do you think? Not that it'll do 'em much good, place is a death trap now.'

'Oh! The airport! Shit… poor bastards.'

'We there yet?' The co-pilot turned at the voice.

The man stood a little over six feet tall, the modified respirator on his face allowing only his blazing maroon eyes to be shown. Dressed all in black combat gear and with the pimped out weapons, he cut an intimidating figure. His voice – distinctly British – even conformed with his appearance; gruff, blunt, in no mood for nonsense.

The co-pilot stammered for a moment before turning his gaze back to the instruments in the cockpit.

'Uh, we'll be at the drop-site in about five minutes… so you might want to –'

'Five minutes. Understood. We'll be ready.'

The man turned away.

'Guy gives me the creeps…' the co-pilot muttered.

He didn't see it, but his partner nodded her head in accord.

In the transport bay of the helicopter, the mercenary stood before the six other members of his squad; Grey Team.

'We'll be dropping in five. Ensure you're ready to go or I will shoot you here and now. Once we drop we're in enemy territory… I trust you've all been briefed on the Umbrella specimens?' Six nods confirmed that they had.

'Good. Now remember; our duty is clean-up. Anything Grant & Glukhovsky thinks can be used against them needs to go: machines, facilities, people. Everything goes. You stop and I will shoot you. You hesitate and I will shoot you. You show even the slightest bit of weakness whilst carrying out this operation and I will shoot you… am I clear?' Six nods again, the mercenary felt the corner of his lips twitch in amusement.

'Fantastic. Now…' he began as he pulled out a map of Elspeth City, on said map the location of the Elspeth Mall was marked with a red cross, 'let's do a bit of shopping…'

-X-

Shorter chapter than the previous two, I tried stretching out the trek through the slums but in the end it just felt like it dragged on to me so I cut about a thousand words or so.

Anyway; exciting news: five new slots have just opened up in the character submission for – you guessed it – the G&G mercenaries about to drop into the city. Submissions from those who have already submitted characters will be accepted, though if I get five from those who haven't submitted anyone yet they will, of course, take precedence. Inspired heavily by ORC (which in all honesty I can't recommend to anyone, regardless of how big an RE fanatic you are, it's an all-round terrible game and Slant Six should feel ashamed of themselves for screwing a rather interesting concept).

Regarding the rules to these happy chappies; greater liberties will be allowed with regards to weapons and inventory (though no more than two plus a knife if you're going to kit them out with nothing but shotguns and assault rifles). Appearance however must be appropriate for this sort of shady business; no casual wear. At all.

Cheers