The smell of stagnant water and rust fills the drainage tunnel. Seth, Elena, and Miller catch their breath as the distant sounds of the farmhouse collapse echo above. A man, huddled near a rusted support beam, watches them with wary, sunken eyes.
Stranger
You lot aren't with the Saviors, are you? If you've got the stomach for it, I know where they cache their medical supplies. Recover the crate for me, and I'll hand over the map to a fortified bunker that's still powered.
Seth
A bunker with power? If I can secure that, I can actually start building a home base, not just a hideout.
Seth
Keep talking. What’s the catch, and where is this stash?
Stranger
It’s guarded, obviously. Just south of the old sawmill. Bring me the crate, and the map is yours.
+ Story Quest Added
Recover medical supplies from the sawmill
“Where's John?”
SUCCESS (Good Perception, rolled +0)
Seth
The air is stale, but it’s the silence that bothers me. John was right behind me near the farmhouse, but there’s no sign of him in these tunnels.
Seth
Where is John? He was with me at the farmhouse. If he isn't here, I am not going anywhere until I find him.
Elena
I haven't seen him since the floorboards gave way, Seth. The blast scattered us, but he knows the extraction point.
Miller
The woods are crawling with Saviors. If your friend is out there alone, he’s either dead or being hunted. We need to move now or we’re next.
Stranger
Suit yourselves. But the sawmill isn't going to wait. The supplies will be moved by dawn, and the bunker map dies with me if I don't get that crate.
Seth
Miller is right about the danger, but leaving John is not an option. I have to weigh the lead on a permanent base against the life of my best friend.
“Fuck he's my brother I'm going out there for him I need to find him”
SUCCESS (Good Willpower, rolled +0)
Seth
John isn't just a partner. He is my brother. If he’s out there, he’s coming back with us.
Seth turns his back on the tunnel light, his boots crunching against the damp concrete as he pivots toward the exit.
Seth
The Stranger is a snake, but he’s my only lead on the bunker. If I leave now, I lose the location. If I stay, I lose John.
Seth
I’m going back for him. Keep that map safe. If I’m not back by the time the shadows stretch past the sawmill, move on without me.
Miller
You’re walking into a funeral, man. Suit yourself.
Elena
Seth, wait! You don't know if he's even near the site. Don't throw your life away for a ghost.
Seth
She doesn't get it. A leader who abandons his own isn't a leader at all. I'm going to find him.
Seth pulls his beanie low, grips his AK-47, and steps out into the rain-slicked night, leaving the trio in the dark.
“He's my brother I have to besides I know he'd do the same for me please Miller help him help me he would do the same for you and I know I would too”
SUCCESS (Great Tactics, rolled +0)
Seth
Miller, stop. Think about the path we walked. If the roles were reversed, John would be the first one turning back. He’s my brother, and he’d do the same for you. I need your eyes out there. If we lose him, we lose the best scout we have. Help me find him, and I promise you, I’ll get us all to that bunker.
Miller
He’s right. A lone wolf dies fast out here. If he goes, we’re down a gun regardless.
Miller
Fine. But if we run into a Saviors patrol, I’m prioritizing the map. We move as a unit, or not at all.
Miller sighs, shouldering his pack and stepping toward the tunnel entrance. Elena watches, her hesitation melting into resolve as she checks the seal on her canteen. The group turns away from the sawmill path, eyes straining against the darkness of the woods where John was last seen.
+ Story Quest Added
Find John in the woods
“Thank you Miller for real man."give respect handshake"”
SUCCESS (Fair Natural Leader, rolled +2)
Seth
I appreciate it, Miller. For real.
Seth steps forward, his expression losing its hard edge for a fleeting moment. He offers a firm, grounding handshake. Miller takes it, his grip tight, the mutual acknowledgment hanging heavy in the damp air of the tunnel.
Seth
He trusts me now. That is the first step. If I can lead them to John and keep us alive, maybe this group has a future after all.
Elena
Let’s move. The woods are quiet, but that never means they’re empty. I’ll take point since I know these trails.
The trio turns away from the sawmill path. Elena moves toward the dark tunnel exit, her boots clicking softly on the stone. The rustle of wind through the trees outside signals the start of the hunt.