<dt>Transcription</dt>
<dd>Matthew Reynolds</dd>
<dt>Illustration Transcription</dt>
- <dd></dd>
+ <dd>
+ <line></line>
+ <line>Iain Smith</line>
+ </dd>
<dt>XML</dt>
<dd>
<line>Iain Smith</line>
</data>
</section>
-
<section class="frontmatter-separate" id="cmbtrulz">
<meta>
<title>Rules for Close Combat</title>
<link class="prev" idref="weapons" />
- <link class="next" idref="numbered" />
+ <link class="next" idref="sect1" />
</meta>
<data>
</data>
</section>
-
<section class="numbered" id="numbered">
<meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
<data>
<p>You take hold of the crate, ready to wrench it open but, to your surprise, the wood is infested with dry rot and crumbles to dust under the slightest pressure. You strip away the flaky timbers to discover hundreds of square plastic tubs, held together by a sheet of clear polythene<ch.emdash/>just what your uncle wanted! Using your hunting knife, carefully you lay open the sheet, peeling it away from the tubs, and rolling it up for future use.</p>
- <p>On the tubs themselves are blue and white labels that display the letters: NaCl.</p>
+ <p>On the tubs themselves are blue and white labels that display the letters: N<ch.thinspace/>a<ch.thinspace/>C<ch.thinspace/>l.</p>
<p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Perception skill total.</p>
<choice idref="sect240">If the total is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
<choice idref="sect4">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
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<instance class="pdf" src="ill5.pdf" width="386" height="587" />
</illustration>
- <p>Suddenly the bus loses speed. You sense that something is seriously amiss and you go back to find out what is wrong. You wave the tanker on, then slow almost to a standstill in order to allow Cutter to catch up. As he draws nearer you see that a running battle is taking place on board. You accelerate, bringing your roadster alongside the boarding door, then you tell Kate to move over into the driving seat and take the wheel. As soon as she has control of the car, you coil yourself like a spring and leap towards the door of the bus.</p>
+ <p>Suddenly the bus loses speed. You sense that something is seriously amiss and you <!--ERRTAG-RE-142676-->fall back<!--/ERRTAG-RE-142676--> to find out what is wrong. You wave the tanker on, then slow almost to a standstill in order to allow Cutter to catch up. As he draws nearer you see that a running battle is taking place on board. You accelerate, bringing your roadster alongside the boarding door, then you tell Kate to move over into the driving seat and take the wheel. As soon as she has control of the car, you coil yourself like a spring and leap towards the door of the bus.</p>
<p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill level, and make a note of the total in the margin of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. Now, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
<choice idref="sect10">If the total is 22 or less, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
<choice idref="sect313">If the total is 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
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<instance class="pdf" src="small13.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="text" src="none" width="none" height="none" >
+ <table>
+ <tr><td>2</td><td>12</td><td>5</td><td>9</td></tr>
+ <tr><td>4</td><td>20</td><td>7</td><td>17</td></tr>
+ <tr><td>12</td><td>12</td><td>4</td><td><ch.emdash/></td></tr>
+ </table>
+ </instance>
</illustration>
-
-<!--
- <table>
- <tr><td>2</td><td>12</td><td>5</td><td>9</td></tr>
- <tr><td>4</td><td>20</td><td>7</td><td>17</td></tr>
- <tr><td>12</td><td>12</td><td>4</td><td>-</td></tr>
- </table>
--->
+
<p>You study the rows of numbers carefully, looking for a pattern. By tapping on the keypad the number that is missing from the last row, you will release the lock and open the door.</p>
<p>When you think you know the missing number, turn to the entry that bears that number.<a id="sect152-1" idref="sect152-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
<choice idref="sect171">If you cannot work out the correct answer, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
<data>
<p>Fifty miles of broken highway lie between you and the town of Albany. By mid-afternoon the temperature has climbed above 110<ch.deg/> Fahrenheit, and the <!--ERRTAG-RE-222553-->combined effects of the scorching heat and the poor road surface begin<!--/ERRTAG-RE-222553--> to take its toll on those travelling aboard the crowded bus. As you approach the outskirts of a small town called Moran, Cutter signals for you to stop. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve got six people down with heat exhaustion and four more on the brink,</quote> he says, his face awash with sweat. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve got to get <ch.apos/>em out of this travelling oven and let <ch.apos/>em rest awhile in the shade.</quote></p>
- <p>You suggest that <!--ERRTAG-RE-223065-->the convoy wait<!--/ERRTAG-RE-223065--> in Moran while you go on ahead to make sure that Albany is safe to enter. By the time you have checked it out and returned, the worst of the afternoon heat will have passed and the colony will be better able to continue. Before you leave for Albany you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Unless you possess a tub of <typ class="item">Salt</typ>, you must reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 4 points, due to excessive salt loss.</p>
+ <p>You suggest that the convoy waits in Moran while you go on ahead to make sure that Albany is safe to enter. By the time you have checked it out and returned, the worst of the afternoon heat will have passed and the colony will be better able to continue. Before you leave for Albany you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Unless you possess a tub of <typ class="item">Salt</typ>, you must reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score by 4 points, due to excessive salt loss.</p>
<choice idref="sect343"><link-text>Turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
</data>
</section>
<data>
<p>The success of your daring night raid is applauded by the colony. Mountain Goat is especially pleased that you found the part needed to fix the bus, and he is quick to remind everyone that without his help the mission would not have been possible.</p>
<p>After a few hours<ch.apos/> rest, you help Cutter and Uncle Jonas install the new steering linkage. Then you fill your roadster<ch.apos/>s fuel tank with gasolene piped from the tanker and prepare to lead the convoy on the next stage of the long journey west.</p>
- <p>You leave Freeway 20 and travel cross-country in order to bypass Strawn. Later in the afternoon you rejoin the highway as it approaches Lake Leon and the town of Eastland. You are two miles from Eastland when you spot an obstruction in the far distance that appears to he blocking the entire road. However, you are aware that the constant heat haze can play strange tricks on your vision, so you signal to the convoy to halt while you scout ahead.</p>
+ <p>You leave Freeway 20 and travel cross-country in order <!--ERRTAG-RE-273618-->to give Strawn wide berth<!--/ERRTAG-RE-273618-->. Later in the afternoon you rejoin the highway as it approaches Lake Leon and the town of Eastland. You are two miles from Eastland when you spot an obstruction in the far distance that appears to he blocking the entire road. However, you are aware that the constant heat haze can play strange tricks on your vision, so you signal to the convoy to halt while you scout ahead.</p>
<p>A mile along the highway you discover that the obstruction is in fact a trench that has been dug diagonally across the road. It is sufficiently deep along its whole length to wreck any vehicle attempting to cross it at speed. You bring your car to a halt and step out onto the sun-scorched asphalt in order to take a closer look at this curious excavation.</p>
<choice idref="sect34">If you possess a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ> or <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ>, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
<choice idref="sect147">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
<section class="numbered" id="sect209">
<meta><title>209</title></meta>
+ <footnotes>
+ <footnote id="sect209-1-foot" idref="sect209-1">
+ <p>In British usage, the first floor is the one above the ground floor.</p>
+ </footnote>
+ </footnotes>
+
<data>
<p>A sudden sound to your left betrays the hiding place of a would-be ambusher. You spin on your heel, drawing your hunting knife and tensing yourself in expectation of an attack. Lurking in the doorway is a scrawny youth dressed in tattered buckskin. His clothes, and the coloured stripes that mark his face, remind you of books you read when you were young; books with pictures of Red Indian braves, who fought the cowboys of the old West. The youth screams a curse and casts a rope lasso around your shoulders, but before he can draw it tight, you sever it with one sweep of your razor-sharp blade. His scream echoes across the street and draws forth others of his kind, all of them dressed in similar Red Indian costumes. They advance towards you, brandishing knives and axes, and you turn and run in fear for your life.</p>
- <p>As you run past the entrance to a small bar, another group appears on the sidewalk less than twenty yards ahead. Shots ring out, forcing you to dive for cover inside the bar. Fortunately the place is deserted, but the angry screams of the mob grow louder by the second. Quickly you scan the gloomy interior, searching for a way out or a place to hide. Two possibilities present themselves: the staircase to the first floor, and the counter at the rear of the bar.</p>
+ <p>As you run past the entrance to a small bar, another group appears on the sidewalk less than twenty yards ahead. Shots ring out, forcing you to dive for cover inside the bar. Fortunately the place is deserted, but the angry screams of the mob grow louder by the second. Quickly you scan the gloomy interior, searching for a way out or a place to hide. Two possibilities present themselves: the staircase to the first floor,<footref id="sect209-1" idref="sect209-1-foot"/> and the counter at the rear of the bar.</p>
<choice idref="sect286">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
<choice idref="sect118">If you wish to hide behind the counter, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
</data>
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<instance class="pdf" src="small14.pdf" width="386" height="200"/>
+ <instance class="text" src="none" width="none" height="none" >
+ <table>
+ <tr><td>8</td><td>7</td><td>9</td><td>6</td></tr>
+ <tr><td>94</td><td>20</td><td>37</td><td>77</td></tr>
+ <tr><td>52</td><td>57</td><td>11</td><td><ch.emdash/></td></tr>
+ </table>
+ </instance>
</illustration>
-<!--
- <table>
- <tr><td>8</td><td>7</td><td>9</td><td>6</td></tr>
- <tr><td>94</td><td>20</td><td>37</td><td>77</td></tr>
- <tr><td>52</td><td>57</td><td>11</td><td>-</td></tr>
- </table>
--->
-
<p>You study the rows of numbers carefully, looking for a pattern. By tapping on the keypad the number that is missing from the last row, you will release the lock and open the door.</p>
<p>When you think you know the missing number turn to the entry that bears that number.<a id="sect255-1" idref="sect255-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
<choice idref="sect194">If you cannot work out the correct answer, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
<meta><title>257</title></meta>
<data>
- <p><quote>You<ch.apos/>ll never regret this,</quote> he says, excitedly, and scurries away to the rear of the cave to collect his meagre belongings. He reappears a few minutes later with a tattered rucksack on his back, and offers to lead the way down the steep hill. During the descent he tells you that Strawn is the next town due west. Before <quote>The Day</quote>, a large service depot that repaired buses and trucks was located there. If the part you need still exists, the service depot at Strawn is the place where you are most likely to find it.</p>
+ <p><quote>You<ch.apos/>ll never regret this,</quote> he says, excitedly, and scurries away to the rear of the cave to collect his meagre belongings. He reappears a few minutes later with a tattered rucksack on his back, and offers to lead the way down the steep hill. During the descent he tells you that Strawn is the next town due <!--ERRTAG-RE-342405-->northwest<!--/ERRTAG-RE-342405-->. Before <quote>The Day</quote>, a large service depot that repaired buses and trucks was located there. If the part you need still exists, the service depot at Strawn is the place where you are most likely to find it.</p>
<p>Upon reaching the bus, you find that the reaction of the colony to Mountain Goat is less than enthusiastic. Most, especially the women, are horrified at the thought of having to share the bus with a smelly, flea-ridden hermit, and angrily they voice their protest.</p>
<p>Not until they have heard how he can help to get the bus moving again do they change their minds.</p>
<p><quote>Where is this depot?</quote> asks Cutter.</p>
- <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s six miles west o<ch.apos/> here,</quote> pipes Mountain Goat, eager to appear helpful.</p>
+ <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s six miles <!--ERRTAG-RE-343175-->northwest<!--/ERRTAG-RE-343175--> o<ch.apos/> here,</quote> pipes Mountain Goat, eager to appear helpful.</p>
<p><quote>Good. At first light, Cal can drive us there and you can help locate the part we need.</quote></p>
<p><quote>Mmmm<ch.ellips/> OK,</quote> replies Mountain Goat, hesitantly, <quote>but first I think there<ch.apos/>s something y<ch.apos/>all should know.</quote></p>
<choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
<meta><title>270</title></meta>
<data>
- <p>You lead the convoy along the split and cratered surface of State Highway 571, across a wasteland of bleached hills and scorched scrub. In the distance you see mountains<ch.emdash/>the twin summits of Caddo Peaks and the craggy outline of Spring Mesa<ch.emdash/>standing sharp and clear against the backdrop of a cloudless sky. By mid-afternoon the temperature has climbed to 110<ch.deg/> Fahrenheit, and the combined effects of the heat and poor road surface begin to take their toll. Two miles inside Comanche County, the tanker is forced to halt with an overheated engine. Luckily, the breakdown occurs within sight of the Sabanna River, now little more than a torpid stream, and enough water is soon collected to enable the tanker to continue. (If you wish, you can refill your Water Canteen at the river at the cost of one Medi-kit unit).</p>
+ <p>You lead the convoy along the split and cratered surface of State Highway 571, across a wasteland of bleached hills and scorched scrub. In the distance you see mountains<ch.emdash/>the twin summits of Caddo Peaks and the craggy outline of Spring Mesa<ch.emdash/>standing sharp and clear against the backdrop of a cloudless sky. By mid-afternoon the temperature has climbed to 110<ch.deg/> Fahrenheit, and the combined effects of the heat and poor road surface begin to take their toll. Two miles inside Comanche County, the tanker is forced to halt with an overheated engine. Luckily, the breakdown occurs within sight of the <!--ERRTAG-RE-355780-->Sabana River<!--/ERRTAG-RE-355780-->, now little more than a torpid stream, and enough water is soon collected to enable the tanker to continue. (If you wish, you can refill your Water Canteen at the river at the cost of one Medi-kit unit).</p>
<p>Gradually the road turns westwards and climbs towards high plains country. Then, as you approach the outskirts of a town called Rising Star, Cutter signals to you to stop. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve got six people down with heat exhaustion, and four more on the brink,</quote> he says, his face awash with sweat. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve got to get <ch.apos/>em out of this travelling oven and let <ch.apos/>em rest awhile in the shade.</quote></p>
<p>You suggest that the convoy waits in Rising Star while you go on ahead to make sure that Cross Plains is safe to enter. By the time you have checked it out and returned, the worst of the afternoon heat will have passed and the colony will be in better shape to continue. Before you leave for Cross Plains you must take a drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Unless you possess a tub of <typ class="item">Salt</typ>, you must reduce your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> total by 4 points, due to excessive salt loss.</p>
<choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
<data>
<p>After two hours of painfully slow driving, the convoy reaches the far side of the lake, only to discover a hostile reception awaiting it. Just as you had suspected, the spy you saw earlier was a city gang member, one of a group of bikers out foraging for food. He has alerted the others in his group and now they lie in ambush, like a pack of hungry jackals, waiting for the convoy to come within range of their guns.</p>
- <p>You have just cleared the top of the slope that marks the old shoreline of Lake Lewisville when the bikers make their presence felt. A volley of shots ricochet off the hood and side of your roadster, forcing you to swerve to a halt. Grabbing your gun, you leap out of the car and scream a warning to the others as you take cover at the edge of the lake. Cutter and Kate come running up the slope to join you but, just as they reach your side, a harsh voice yells out: <quote>There are more than thirty of us here and we<ch.apos/>re armed to the teeth. You don<ch.apos/>t stand a chance. Throw down your weapons and surrender and we<ch.apos/>ll spare your lives!</quote></p>
+ <p>You have just cleared the top of the slope that marks the old shoreline of Lake Lewisville when the bikers make their presence felt. <!--ERRTAG-RE-357909-->A volley of shots ricochets<!--/ERRTAG-RE-357909--> off the hood and side of your roadster, forcing you to swerve to a halt. Grabbing your gun, you leap out of the car and scream a warning to the others as you take cover at the edge of the lake. Cutter and Kate come running up the slope to join you but, just as they reach your side, a harsh voice yells out: <quote>There are more than thirty of us here and we<ch.apos/>re armed to the teeth. You don<ch.apos/>t stand a chance. Throw down your weapons and surrender and we<ch.apos/>ll spare your lives!</quote></p>
<choice idref="sect247"><link-text>Turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
</data>
</section>
<meta><title>285</title></meta>
<data>
- <p>Once more you glance in your mirror and see the biker coax his machine into your slipstream. Behind him the convoy is barely visible; the bus and tanker cannot match the speed that you have maintained in your race against the clansmen. Then you see your enemy reaching inside his leather jacket. He withdraws a grenade, pulls out the safety pin with his teeth, and gets ready to lob it into your car. Immediately you stamp on the brake pedal and fight with the steering wheel to keep the roadster in a straight line as it screeches to a halt. A moment later there is at tremendous jolt as the clansman crashes into the rear of your car. An instant later he somersaults over your head, wide-eyed with terror, before disappearing behind the central crash barrier that divides the freeway. A muffled boom and a plume of dust marks the violent demise of yet another Detroit Lion.</p>
+ <p>Once more you glance in your mirror and see the biker coax his machine into your slipstream. Behind him the convoy is barely visible; the bus and tanker cannot match the speed that you have maintained in your race against the clansmen. Then you see your enemy reaching inside his leather jacket. He withdraws a grenade, pulls out the safety pin with his teeth, and gets ready to lob it into your car. Immediately you stamp on the brake pedal and fight with the steering wheel to keep the roadster in a straight line as it screeches to a halt. A moment later there is at tremendous jolt as the clansman crashes into the rear of your car. An instant later he somersaults over your head, wide-eyed with terror, before disappearing behind the central crash barrier that divides the freeway. <!--ERRTAG-RE-375260-->A muffled boom and a plume of dust mark<!--/ERRTAG-RE-375260--> the violent demise of yet another Detroit Lion.</p>
<choice idref="sect127"><link-text>Turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
</data>
</section>
<meta><title>287</title></meta>
<data>
- <p>Steering with only your left hand, you snatch your Beretta auto from your shoulder holster with your right hand and thumb back its safety catch. The ruins are beginning to thin out and, as you hit the stony, pot-holed wasteland that surrounds the town, you dare not take your eyes off the ground ahead for fear of crashing. Without turning your head, you point your pistol over your left shoulder and squeeze the trigger in the hope of hitting your attacker.</p>
+ <p>Steering with only your left hand, you snatch your Beretta auto from your shoulder holster with your right hand and thumb back its safety catch. The ruins are beginning to thin out and, as you hit the stony, pot-holed wasteland that surrounds the town, you dare not take your eyes off the ground ahead for fear of crashing. Without turning your head, you point your pistol <!--ERRTAG-RE-377635-->over your shoulder<!--/ERRTAG-RE-377635--> and squeeze the trigger in the hope of hitting your attacker.</p>
<p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting and Perception skill totals. For every bullet you decide to fire, add an additional point to your total (but be sure to erase them from your Ammo Pouch).</p>
<choice idref="sect259">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
<choice idref="sect174">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
<p>You pull your T-shirt up to cover your nose and mouth before venturing out into the storm. Visibility is less than five yards and, with the dust constantly gusting into your eyes, you must rely heavily on your sense of hearing for some indication of the child<ch.apos/>s location. Repeatedly you call out her name, hoping she will reply, yet all you hear is the incessant howling of the wind.</p>
<p>A wide avenue leads you to a baseball park on the edge of the school grounds. For a few seconds the wind drops and you are able to see a small grocery store on the other side of the avenue, its front door hanging off its hinges. You can make out a thin, faint sound coming from inside the store.</p>
<p>You run towards the entrance, eager to get inside before the wind picks up and you lose sight of the building altogether. The stench of rotting food assails your nostrils the moment you enter the store, making your stomach churn, but you force yourself to ignore it and continue your search. You call Maria<ch.apos/>s name and hear the sound again: it is coming from behind the cellar door. In the eerie half-light you find the latch and lift it. <quote>Don<ch.apos/>t be afraid, Maria. It<ch.apos/>s Cal,</quote> you say, hoping to reassure and comfort the girl, but when you push open the door it is not little Maria who greets you.</p>
- <p>A seething flood of squealing rats swarm out of the doorway and break like a wave against your feet. You scream in shocked surprise and drag yourself onto a nearby counter as the ravenous rodents run amok. Most of the pack ignore you, but there are a few that have developed a taste for human flesh, and determinedly they claw their way up the counter in an effort to get at your legs.</p>
+ <p>A seething <!--ERRTAG-RE-393916-->flood of squealing rats swarms<!--/ERRTAG-RE-393916--> out of the doorway <!--ERRTAG-RE-393993-->and breaks<!--/ERRTAG-RE-393993--> like a wave against your feet. You scream in shocked surprise and drag yourself onto a nearby counter as the ravenous rodents run amok. Most of the pack ignore you, but there are a few that have developed a taste for human flesh, and determinedly they claw their way up the counter in an effort to get at your legs.</p>
<combat><enemy>Rat Pack</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">13</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
<choice idref="sect146">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
</data>
<data>
<p>As you watch the town shrinking in your rear-view mirror, the shock of your encounter, especially the death of Long Jake, makes you shiver despite the burning midday heat. <quote>D<ch.apos/>you know those guys?</quote> you ask, anxious to make some sense of the situation.</p>
<p><quote>Yeah,</quote> replies the girl, her voice shaky, <quote>though not by choice.</quote></p>
- <p>As you race back along the highway to McKinney, the girl, whose name is Kate Norton, tells you about the events leading up to your meeting. She comes from Kansas City and is one of the lucky few who have managed to survive there since the holocaust. A month ago her colony was attacked and wiped out by a gang of motorcycle renegades called <quote>the Lions</quote>. Their leader, who calls himself Mad Dog Michigan, took a liking to her and spared her life. He was once a high-ranking HAVOC agent who had escaped from Pontiac Deep Pen near Detroit, and he and his gang, most of whom were also HAVOC escapees, were heading for the Fort Hood Military Reserve near Killeen, the largest armoury in the whole of the United States.</p>
- <p><quote>He hopes to find enough weapons and ammunition there to equip the other HAVOC clans who are in control of cities all along the eastern seaboard. Once he<ch.apos/>s armed his army he<ch.apos/>ll take over the rest of the country,</quote> she says, her blue eyes brimming with tears. <quote>Three days ago the Lions reached Oklahoma City. They were desperate for food, so Mad Dog decided to camp there and forage the surrounding area. Until then they<ch.apos/>d always been kept closely guarded, but while most of them were away I managed to steal a bike and escape. I was beginning to think I<ch.apos/>d made it. I was wrong. I ran out of fuel just north of Sherman and had to ditch the bike. I met up with your friend this morning when he walked into town. Soon after he<ch.apos/>d told me all about you and your colony and your plans to head west, those guys back there arrived. Mad Dog sent them to find me.</quote> She pauses to wipe her tears and brush the tangle of windswept blonde hair away from her beautiful face.</p>
+ <p>As you race back along the highway to McKinney, the girl, whose name is Kate Norton, tells you about the events leading up to your meeting. She comes from Kansas City and <!--ERRTAG-RE-414342-->was one of the lucky few who managed<!--/ERRTAG-RE-414342--> to survive there since the holocaust. A month ago her colony was attacked and wiped out by a gang of motorcycle renegades called <quote>the Lions</quote>. Their leader, who calls himself <!--ERRTAG-RE-414589--><quote>Mad Dog Michigan</quote><!--/ERRTAG-RE-414589-->, took a liking to her and spared her life. He was once a high-ranking HAVOC agent who had escaped from Pontiac Deep Pen near Detroit, and he and his gang, most of whom were also HAVOC escapees, were heading for the Fort Hood Military Reserve near Killeen, the largest armoury in the whole of the United States.</p>
+ <p><quote>He hopes to find enough weapons and ammunition there to equip the other HAVOC clans who are in control of cities all along the eastern seaboard. Once he<ch.apos/>s armed his army he<ch.apos/>ll take over the rest of the country,</quote> she says, her blue eyes brimming with tears. <quote>Three days ago the Lions reached Oklahoma City. They were desperate for food, so Mad Dog decided to camp there and forage the surrounding area. <!--ERRTAG-RE-415547-->Until the bikes<ch.apos/>d always been kept closely guarded, but while most of them were away I managed to steal one and escape.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-415547--> I was beginning to think I<ch.apos/>d made it. I was wrong. I ran out of fuel just north of Sherman and had to ditch the bike. I met up with your friend this morning when he walked into town. Soon after he<ch.apos/>d told me all about you and your colony and your plans to head west, those guys back there arrived. Mad Dog sent them to find me.</quote> She pauses to wipe her tears and brush the tangle of windswept blonde hair away from her beautiful face.</p>
<p><quote>I<ch.apos/>m really sorry about what happened to Long Jake. It<ch.apos/>s all my fault.</quote></p>
<p><quote>Don<ch.apos/>t blame yourself,</quote> you say, trying to console her. <quote>It<ch.apos/>s over now. Once we get back to DC1 and take off for Big Spring, Mad Dog and his gang will be just a bad memory.</quote></p>
<p><quote>I hope you<ch.apos/>re right, Cal,</quote> she says, unconvinced.</p>
<data>
<p>The instant you set foot in the store, two hands reach out of the darkness, grab you by the jacket lapels and pull you away from the doorway. Immediately, there is a long burst of fire and a hail of bullets scythes the air where you were standing only moments before.</p>
<p><quote>These ain<ch.apos/>t no ordinary punks,</quote> growls Long Jake, peering cautiously over the edge of the bullet-shattered window frame. <quote>They<ch.apos/>re scouts for a Yankee gang that<ch.apos/>s headin<ch.apos/> this way, looking to take over. They<ch.apos/>re a mite anxious to get their hands on her, too,</quote> he says, nodding towards the girl who is crouching behind the store counter, her eyes wide with fright.</p>
- <p><quote>What do they want with her?</quote> you ask, but before Long Jake can reply there is a flash and a deafening explosion. The store<ch.apos/>s rear door is blown inwards and a searing wave of heat and flying debris knocks you off your feet. Stunned by the blast, you rise unsteadily and reach for a weapon. A grey shape fills the rear entrance, its outline fuzzy in the smoke and dust that hovers there. Then the shape draws into focus and you see the silhouette of a tall man, lean and sinewy, his thin mouth set in a cruel sneer.</p>
+ <p><quote>What do they want with her?</quote> you ask, but before Long Jake can reply there is a flash and a deafening explosion. The store<ch.apos/>s rear door is blown inwards and a searing wave of heat and flying debris knocks you off your feet. Stunned by the blast, you rise unsteadily and reach for a weapon. A grey shape fills the rear entrance, its outline fuzzy in the <!--ERRTAG-RE-431763-->smoke and dust that hover<!--/ERRTAG-RE-431763--> there. Then the shape draws into focus and you see the silhouette of a tall man, lean and sinewy, his thin mouth set in a cruel sneer.</p>
<p><quote>Look out!</quote> screams Long Jake, as the figure leaps through the doorway, a shotgun held before him ready to fire.</p>
<p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If your current Shooting, Stealth, and Perception points (when added together) total 8 or more, then add 2 to the number you have picked.</p>
<choice idref="sect191">If your total is now 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
<data>
<p>The rotten wood splits and crumbles under the slightest pressure, enabling you to open the crate with your bare hands. Inside, you discover hundreds of square plastic tubs, bound together with tape into units of twelve. Sealing the whole consignment is a vast sheet of clear polythene<ch.emdash/>just what your uncle wanted! Using your hunting knife, you slit open the sheeting at the corners, remove it from the tubs and fold it away carefully for future use.</p>
- <p>The tubs themselves are each adorned with blue and white labels that display the letters: N a C l.</p>
+ <p>The tubs themselves are each adorned with blue and white labels that display the letters: N<ch.thinspace/>a<ch.thinspace/>C<ch.thinspace/>l.</p>
<p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Perception skill total.</p>
<choice idref="sect134">If the total is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
<choice idref="sect201">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
<p>At gunpoint you are led from the cell and taken across town to a broken-fenced corral around which the clansmen have gathered. This site is all that remains of the Albany Stockyards and Rodeo that once thrived here during the late 1990s. Its No. 1 enclosure is to be the place of your initiation into the Kicker clan.</p>
<p>Lying on the ground at the centre of the corral is your Hunting Knife, and beyond it, leaning against the wooden rails of the corral, is your adversary. As punishment for a breach of clan discipline, Manhattan has chosen him to fight against you in <quote>the Rite</quote>. It is a dubious honour, for he knows that his life will be forfeit if he fails.</p>
<p>The rules of the initiation ceremony are simple. When Manhattan fires his pistol, you must both dash towards the knife. The one who reaches it first will then hold the advantage in the hand-to-hand combat that follows. The combat is to the death; only he who survives the fight will be declared a worthy clan member.</p>
- <p>The crowd grow silent and nervously you wait for Manhattan to fire. His shot rings out, and you launch yourself towards the centre of the corral.</p>
+ <p>The <!--ERRTAG-RE-442204-->crowd grows<!--/ERRTAG-RE-442204--> silent and nervously you wait for Manhattan to fire. His shot rings out, and you launch yourself towards the centre of the corral.</p>
<illustration class="float">
<meta>
<creator>Melvyn Grant</creator>
<meta>
<creator>Melvyn Grant</creator>
</meta>
- <instance src="map.png" width="1024" height="768" class="html" mime-type="image/png"/>
- <instance src="map.jpg" width="1024" height="768" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/jpeg"/>
- <instance src="map.pdf" width="1024" height="768" class="pdf" />
+ <instance src="map.png" width="1546" height="1314" class="html" mime-type="image/png"/>
+ <instance src="map.jpg" width="1546" height="1314" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/jpeg"/>
+ <instance src="map.pdf" width="1546" height="1314" class="pdf" />
</illustration>
</data>
</section>
<instance src="acweapns.png" width="386" height="383" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
<instance src="acweapns.gif" width="386" height="383" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
</illustration>
+
<!--
<illustration class="inline">
<meta>
<p>(<a idref="sect83">83</a>) Replaced <quote>over and</quote> with <quote>over, and</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect85">85</a>) Replaced <quote>DISTRIBUTOR CAP</quote>, <quote>CONDENSER</quote>, <quote>GAS MODIFIER</quote>, <quote>OIL PLUG</quote>, <quote>FAN BELT</quote> with initial capitals. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect86">86</a>) Replaced <quote>north-west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect89">89</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-139037-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>follow</quote> with <quote>follows</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-139037-ITEM--></p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect89">89</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-139037-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>follow</quote> with <quote>follows</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-139037-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-142676-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>go back</quote> with <quote>fall back</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-142676-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect90">90</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-141322-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>slightest, neither</quote> with <quote>slightest; neither</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-141322-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect92">92</a>) Replaced <quote>It it is 7<ch.endash/>9</quote> with <quote> If it is 7<ch.endash/>9</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect94">94</a>) Replaced <quote>shouting :</quote> with <quote>shouting: </quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect149">149</a>) Replaced <quote>assess</quote> with <quote>assesses</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect152">152</a>) Replaced text based number puzzle with illustration.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect155">155</a>) Replaced <quote>red indian</quote> with <quote>Red Indian</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect156">156</a>) Replaced <quote>take its toll of those</quote> with <quote>take its toll on those</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-222553-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>combined effects of the scorching heat and the poor road surface begins</quote> with <quote>combined effects of the scorching heat and the poor road surface begin</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-222553-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-223065-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>the convoy waits</quote> with <quote>the convoy wait</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-223065-ITEM--></p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect156">156</a>) Replaced <quote>take its toll of those</quote> with <quote>take its toll on those</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-222553-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>combined effects of the scorching heat and the poor road surface begins</quote> with <quote>combined effects of the scorching heat and the poor road surface begin</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-222553-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect158">158</a>) Replaced <quote>C.B. Radio</quote> with <quote>CB Radio</quote>. Replaced <quote>setting and</quote> with <quote>setting, and</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect160">160</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>.Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect162">162</a>) Replaced <quote>Ammo pouch</quote> with <quote>Ammo Pouch</quote> and <quote>once sophisticated</quote> with <quote>once-sophisticated</quote>. Replaced <quote>Weapons list</quote> with <quote>Weapons List</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect189">189</a>) Replaced <quote>womped</quote> with <quote>whomped</quote> and <quote>come <ch.apos/>an pay</quote> with <quote>come an<ch.apos/> pay</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect194">194</a>) Replaced <quote>de-activates</quote> with <quote>deactivates</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect195">195</a>) Replaced <quote>machine-gunner</quote> with <quote>machine gunner</quote> and <quote>hellava</quote> with <quote>helluva</quote>. Replaced <quote>zig-zag</quote> with <quote>zigzag</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect196">196</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect196">196</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-273618-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>to bypass Strawn</quote> with <quote>to give Strawn wide berth</quote> because Strawn is miles north of Freeway 20 and therefore staying on the freeway would be sufficient to bypass Strawn whereas leaving the freeway and going cross-country to the south is an act of giving Strawn an even wider berth..<!--/ERRTAG-RE-273618-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect198">198</a>) Replaced <quote>south-west</quote> with <quote>southwest</quote> (x2).</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect204">204</a>) Replaced <quote>machine-gun fire</quote> with <quote>machine gun fire</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect205">205</a>) Replaced <quote>Weapons list</quote> with <quote>Weapons List</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect251">251</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-334542-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>shouts out:</quote> with <quote>shouts out,</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-334542-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect253">253</a>) Started a new paragraph for Cutter<ch.apos/>s speech.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect255">255</a>) Replaced text based number puzzle with illustration.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect257">257</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect257">257</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-342405-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote> because Freeway 20 passes to the south of Strawn.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-342405-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-343175-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote>because Freeway 20 passes to the south of Strawn.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-343175-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect259">259</a>) Replaced <quote>pistol</quote> with <quote>Pistol</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect260">260</a>) Replaced <quote>Cmon</quote> with <quote>C<ch.apos/>mon</quote> and <quote>Comanche county</quote> with <quote>Comanche County</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-346349-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>open fire</quote> with <quote>opens fire</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-346349-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-346548-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>shouts Kate, and takes off</quote> with <quote>shouts Kate and takes off</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-346548-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect265">265</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect267">267</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-353478-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>Believe me, I know</quote> with <quote>Believe me; I know</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-353478-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect269">269</a>) Replaced <quote>Weapons list</quote> with <quote>Weapons List</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect270">270</a>) Replaced <quote>water canteen</quote> with <quote>Water Canteen</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect270">270</a>) Replaced <quote>water canteen</quote> with <quote>Water Canteen</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-355780-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>Sabanna River</quote> with <quote>Sabana River</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-355780-ITEM--></p>
+<p>(<a idref="sect271">271</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-357909-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>A volley of shots ricochet</quote> with <quote>A volley of shots ricochets</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-357909-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect279">279</a>) Added <quote>ONLY</quote> to the end of the sign to properly parallel <a idref="sect334">Section 334</a>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect280">280</a>) Replaced <quote>bread, <ch.lsquot/>it<ch.apos/>ll</quote> with <quote>bread. <ch.lsquot/>It<ch.apos/>ll</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect285">285</a>) Replaced <quote>visible, the</quote> with <quote>visible; the</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect285">285</a>) Replaced <quote>visible, the</quote> with <quote>visible; the</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-375260-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>A muffled boom and a plume of dust marks</quote> with <quote>A muffled boom and a plume of dust mark</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-375260-ITEM--></p>
+<p>(<a idref="sect287">287</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-377635-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>over your left shoulder</quote> with <quote>over your shoulder</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-377635-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect288">288</a>) Replaced <quote>auto-wreck</quote> with <quote>auto wreck</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect289">289</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect294">294</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Kickers<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote>the <ch.lsquot/>Kickers<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote>you boy</quote> with <quote>you, boy</quote>. Replaced <quote>eyes, and</quote> with <quote>eyes and</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect296">296</a>) Replaced <quote>gulley</quote> with <quote>gully</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect297">297</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect298">298</a>) Replaced <quote>red indian</quote> with <quote>Red Indian</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect299">299</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect299">299</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-393916-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>flood of squealing rats swarm</quote> with <quote>flood of squealing rats swarms</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-393916-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-393993-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>and break</quote> with <quote>and breaks</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-393993-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect300">300</a>) Replaced <quote>red indian</quote> with <quote>Red Indian</quote>. Replaced <quote>young; books</quote> with <quote>young<ch.emdash/>books</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect303">303</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect304">304</a>) Replaced <quote>west and</quote> with <quote>west, and</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect313">313</a>) Replaced <quote>handrails</quote> with <quote>hand-rails</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect314">314</a>) Replaced <quote>Weapons list</quote> with <quote>Weapons List</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect315">315</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>ignition and</quote> with <quote>ignition, and</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect318">318</a>) Replaced <quote>rear view mirror</quote> with <quote>rear-view mirror</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect318">318</a>) Replaced <quote>rear view mirror</quote> with <quote>rear-view mirror</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-414342-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>is one of the lucky few who have managed</quote> with <quote>was one of the lucky few who managed</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-414342-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-414589-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>Mad Dog Michigan</quote> with <quote><ch.lsquot/>Mad Dog Michigan<ch.rsquot/></quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-414589-ITEM--><!--ERRTAG-RE-415547-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>Until then they<ch.apos/>d always been kept closely guarded, but while most of them were away I managed to steal a bike and escape.</quote> with <quote>Until the bikes<ch.apos/>d always been kept closely guarded, but while most of them were away I managed to steal one and escape.</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-415547-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect321">321</a>) Replaced <quote>indian</quote> with <quote>Indian</quote> and <quote>north-west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect325">325</a>) Replaced <quote>C.B.</quote> with <quote>CB radio</quote>. Replaced <quote>decayed and</quote> with <quote>decayed, and</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect327">327</a>) Replaced <quote>north-east</quote> with <quote>northeast</quote>, <quote>north-west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote> (x2), and <quote>south-west</quote> with <quote>southwest</quote>.</p>
- <p>(<a idref="sect329">329</a>) Replaced <quote>set in cruel sneer.</quote> with <quote>set in a cruel sneer.</quote>. Replaced <quote>Stealth and</quote> with <quote>Stealth, and</quote>.</p>
+ <p>(<a idref="sect329">329</a>) Replaced <quote>set in cruel sneer.</quote> with <quote>set in a cruel sneer.</quote>. Replaced <quote>Stealth and</quote> with <quote>Stealth, and</quote>.<!--ERRTAG-RE-431763-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>smoke and dust that hovers</quote> with <quote>smoke and dust that hover</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-431763-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect336">336</a>) Replaced <quote>letters,</quote> with <quote>letters:</quote>.</p>
+<p>(<a idref="sect337">337</a>)<!--ERRTAG-RE-442204-ITEM--> Replaced <quote>crowd grow</quote> with <quote>crowd grows</quote>.<!--/ERRTAG-RE-442204-ITEM--></p>
<p>(<a idref="sect338">338</a>) Replaced <quote>bushwacked</quote> with <quote>bushwhacked</quote>, <quote>Rickenbaker</quote> with <quote>Rickenbacker</quote> and <quote>fusilage</quote> with <quote>fuselage</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect343">343</a>) Replaced <quote>Shackelford county sheriff<ch.apos/>s office</quote> with <quote>Shackelford County Sheriff<ch.apos/>s office</quote>.</p>
<p>(<a idref="sect348">348</a>) Replaced <quote>gulley</quote> with <quote>gully</quote>.</p>
Project Aon Git Repositories / project-aon.git / blobdiff