Evan remains beside the stairwell with the spare chair ready. Charlie and Thomas move quietly along the third-floor hallway, checking the remaining dorm room and nearby doors.
The dorm room is empty, its beds unmade and desks abandoned. The nearby doors reveal only silent rooms, scattered textbooks, and no movement beyond the secured floor.
Thomas Roberts
I owe you an apology for some of the roommate stuff. The noise, the clothes everywhere, and pretending I did not notice when you needed space.
Thomas keeps his voice low and checks another doorway before continuing. Without the others nearby, his usual jokes soften into an awkward honesty.
Thomas Roberts
I was stressed all the time and took it out on the room. You were quiet about your frustrations, and I mistook that for not caring.
Thomas Roberts
He keeps saving me, even after all the ways I made living together harder.
At the end of the hall, every door remains shut and the floor appears secure. Thomas pauses beside the last room, fingers resting just above its handle.
Thomas Roberts
We relied on each other more than either of us admitted. Before we go back, is there anything you wanted to say?
✓ Quest Accepted
Reach an honest understanding with Thomas about their roommate grievances
“Thomas says that it was ok and he understood. He knows Thomas was under pressure about trying to male himself more professional for music, and that Charlie had his awkward moments too. He think Charlie walked in on him changing or whacking it some 2 dozen times already this semester. Which must have been awkward. It's water under the bridge. But he's glad Thomas finally spoke up about it. He wondered sometimes if Thomas was avoiding him.”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled +1)
Charlie Moore
It’s okay, Thomas. I understood you were under pressure trying to make yourself more professional for your music. I had my awkward moments too.
Charlie Moore
I probably walked in on you changing or having private moments two dozen times this semester. That must have been awkward for both of us, but it’s water under the bridge.
Charlie Moore
I’m glad you finally said something. Sometimes I wondered if you were avoiding me.
Thomas’s fingers leave the door handle. His shoulders loosen, and the guarded expression he has carried through the hallway gives way to visible relief.
Thomas Roberts
I wasn’t avoiding you because I stopped caring. I was embarrassed, and every day I waited made it harder to bring up.
Thomas Roberts
And yes, the timing of those interruptions was spectacularly awful. But I should have trusted you enough to talk sooner.
A quiet laugh passes between them, careful not to carry down the stairwell. Thomas opens the last room, checks the empty space, then gestures toward the dorm.
Quest Complete
Reach an honest understanding with Thomas about their roommate grievances
“Charlie says Thomas walked in on Charlie more often then that, so he figured they were cool on that count. He figured it was just normal guy roommate stuff. But he has been genuinely waiting to try and be friends with Thomas for awhile.”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled -1)
Charlie Moore
Thomas, you walked in on me even more than that, so I figured we were even. I thought it was normal roommate stuff. Honestly, I’ve wanted to be friends for a while.
Thomas stands in the open doorway, absorbing the confession. His expression shifts from embarrassment to surprised warmth, and he briefly looks down the empty hall before meeting Charlie’s eyes.
Thomas Roberts
You wanted to be friends? Charlie, I thought you were just being polite while I made your life chaotic.
He closes the door behind them and leans against it, keeping his voice low. The secured floor remains quiet, giving the conversation a rare pocket of privacy.
Thomas Roberts
I wanted that too. I just kept assuming you had better people to spend time with than your disaster of a roommate.
Thomas Roberts
Then let’s stop assuming. We’re friends now, and we still need to get back before everyone wonders where we are.
Thomas’s grin returns, gentler than usual. He opens the door and gestures toward the dorm, carrying the apology and new understanding with him as they head back.
“Charlie smiles and agrees. He says he wanted to know Thomas better from the beginning, but his shyness and bad luck made it hard to get passed the awkwardness. But Thomas is talented, smart, and cute, so he shouldn't doubt that people would want to be friends with him. He blushes when he realizes the accidental flirt in there, but doesn't take it back.”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled +1)
Charlie Moore
I wanted to know you better from the beginning. I’m shy, and my luck makes awkwardness worse. But you’re talented, smart, and cute, so don’t doubt people want to be friends with you.
The compliment lands between them. Charlie’s smile holds, but color rises across his face as he realizes the last word carried more warmth than intended.
Thomas Roberts
Cute? You really decided to include that one, huh?
Charlie Moore
I said it, and I am not taking it back.
Thomas’s grin turns bashful beneath the hallway’s dim light. He studies Charlie for a second, then glances toward the dorm door as if remembering their audience.
Thomas Roberts
For the record, I’m glad you said it. And I think you’re pretty great too, awkward luck and all. Come on, friend.
Thomas opens the dorm door and gestures Charlie through. Inside, the survivors look up from their weapons and supplies, waiting for the report from the secured floor.
“Charlie informs them of what they have found and asks if there are suggestions for next steps?”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled -1)
Charlie Moore
The third floor is secure. The nearby rooms are empty, the upper stairwell door is braced, and the Biter is still below.
The survivors lower their improvised weapons slightly. Thomas closes the dorm door behind Charlie, and everyone gathers around the labeled water containers to hear the report.
Maya Rodriguez
That gives us a safer perimeter. We should mark the checked rooms, keep the stairwell watched, and avoid making noise until we know whether more infected are inside.
Evan Cole
We also need shifts. One person watches the stairwell, another tracks supplies, and someone checks the barricades regularly without wandering alone.
Thomas Roberts
We could use the empty room as a quiet storage area, too. Keep food and water together, but leave a small emergency kit near the retreat path.
Maya Rodriguez
After that, we should plan a controlled supply search for medicine, batteries, and anything useful for reinforcing the ground-floor entrances.
The suggestions give the group a workable structure. Maya reaches for a notebook, while Evan checks the stairwell and Thomas begins clearing a quiet section for supplies.
“Charlie agrees and helps set up the watch shifts and assign tasks while Thomas helps move the supplies to the empty room. He asks if they should all sleep in the same room or split the cleared rooms on this floor?”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled -3)
Charlie helps divide the work. Maya records two-person watch shifts, Evan tracks water and food, while Priya and Daniel check barricades without leaving the floor alone.
Thomas carries crates with Charlie into the empty dorm room. A bottle slips from a stack and knocks against the floor, making a sharp clatter that echoes briefly down the hall.
Thomas Roberts
That was one bottle, and it survived. I am filing the incident under controlled disaster.
The bottle remains sealed, but everyone pauses until the building settles. Charlie and Thomas finish moving the supplies, leaving an emergency kit beside the retreat path.
Charlie Moore
Should we all sleep in one room, or split between the cleared rooms on this floor?
Maya Rodriguez
Split into two rooms, with the watch stationed between them. That gives us more sleeping space without losing communication.
Evan Cole
Agreed. We keep doors cracked, weapons nearby, and rotate the night watch so nobody is alone or exhausted.
“Charlie nods and asks if anybody found out anything online about the creatures or where they came from? Any weaknesses?”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled -2)
Charlie Moore
Did anybody find out more online about these creatures, where they came from, or any weaknesses?
The question draws everyone close around Maya’s notebook. Charlie’s voice stays quiet, but the room’s attention shifts from sleeping arrangements to the infected threat below.
Maya Rodriguez
The videos called the fast ones Virals. They were recently infected, highly sensitive to UV light, and people used strong ultraviolet lamps to drive them back.
Thomas Roberts
The slower Biters reacted to intense UV too, though it did not burn them the way it burned the faster infected. Daylight seemed to keep the worst ones hidden.
Evan Cole
The reports never proved an origin. Some mentioned a virus, others contamination, but everyone agreed bites spread it. Regular medication could stop infection, and Antizen suppressed it temporarily.
As Maya turns the notebook toward Charlie, her elbow bumps a filled bottle. It tips and spills across the floor, soaking two pages of notes and wasting a cup of drinking water.
Maya Rodriguez
The surviving notes also mentioned certain mushrooms being useful for medicine. We have no reliable location yet, but UV light and medication are our best confirmed leads.
✓ Quest Accepted
Establish an agreed watch response to the infected threat
“Charlie asks if there are UV lights in the Agriculture building or the chemistry labs? He says he can use his tools to hook up batteries to them, which will get them through for a few days.”
SUCCESS (Superb Diplomacy, rolled +0)
Charlie Moore
Are there UV lights in the Agriculture building or chemistry labs? I can use my tools to hook them up to batteries, and that could get us through a few days.
Maya Rodriguez
The Agriculture building has ultraviolet grow-room fixtures, and the chemistry labs have portable UV inspection lamps. The labs are closer, but the Agriculture building may have more batteries.
Evan Cole
The university inventory was mirrored on the library computers. I remember battery backups listed for both buildings, though I do not know what survived the evacuation.
Maya dries the notebook’s remaining pages and sketches both routes. Thomas retrieves Charlie’s toolbox while Evan marks the buildings, batteries, and likely entrances on the floor plan.
Thomas Roberts
If Charlie can make the lights portable, we could cover the stairwell and keep one ready for the hallway. That is better than trusting furniture forever.
Charlie sorts connectors, wire, clamps, and a multimeter from the toolbox. Using the listed battery packs and UV fixtures, he assembles two working lamps and tests their harsh violet glow against the dorm wall.
Maya Rodriguez
They work. We have a confirmed defense, a route to supplies, and enough battery capacity to run them for several days if we ration the light.
+ New Item Acquired
UV lamps
“Charlie grins at them, pleased with the teamwork. He says he wants to set up more of these over the week. And they need to find other batteries or generators to power then. Maybe they can rip solar panels off of the Agriculture building.”
SUCCESS (Great Mechanics, rolled -1)
Charlie Moore
I want to set up more of these over the week. We need other batteries or generators to power them, and maybe we can remove solar panels from Agriculture.
Charlie grins at the working lamps, then lays out connectors and battery notes beside Maya’s floor plan. The improvised defense becomes the center of a practical expansion plan.
Maya Rodriguez
The Agriculture roof has solar panels feeding the grow rooms. If the mounting hardware is accessible, we can bring several down and wire them to charge batteries during daylight.
Evan Cole
I found backup generators listed in the maintenance inventory too. We should check those, plus the chemistry labs for spare rechargeable packs and charging cables.
Maya marks the Agriculture roof access, chemistry labs, and maintenance storage on the map. Evan adds a battery station beside the dorm window, where daylight can reach the panels.
Thomas Roberts
More UV lamps, backup power, and solar charging. That is an actual system, not just furniture shoved against doors. I like this plan.
The group divides the project into quiet tasks: inventorying cables, locating generators, and preparing carrying straps. The two working lamps remain charged and ready beside the stairwell.
Coordinate the UV defense expansion with Thomas
Quest Complete
Secure the library entrance
Attribute Upgrade: Agility Great→Superb
Quest Complete
Establish an agreed watch response to the infected threat
Skill Upgrade: Diplomacy Superb→Legendary