Area Defense Zombie ADZ-1A033045, known to his fans as Gambo, has been on station for almost a week now. He stands watch over an old research building which had been used by scientists on the island until shortly after the school opened. Once they had facilities in NICE Labs, the scientists packed up and moved to them. Given the purpose of the island, they left behind a few items that would attract the more curious of the menu items from the student body. While appearing valuable, these lures actually were quite useless. And a student would be unable to remove a lure from the building.

The building stood about a hundred yards off one of the lesser used beaches. The recent storm had conveniently blown down some of the small trees that had sprouted on the overgrown path within the last ten years, revealing the building to the passer by. The building itself consisted of twelve rooms, most of them labs, and a larger underground section. An open door had allowed sand and plant debris to cover the floor of the lobby. Several of the labs had collected sand and other debris. In one lab, under a glass case covered with a thin layer of sand lay Gambo. If the target were technically savvy enough, Gambo would appear as ane unlucky participant in a cryo-freeze experiment.

Several girls had come within range of the building while Gambo was on guard, some had even entered it. Unfortunately they all had been tagged as non targets. Today a live target had entered the building. Unfortunately, several tagged students milled about nearby. The target explored the building, adding her footprints the previously untouched sand. She had taken interest in one of the lures. It seemed important to her as she looked to make sure no one was watching, to the point of going to a window. To ensure the lure went unseen, she covers it with bits of debris so it would remain unseen before she leaves the building.

Given her interest in the lure, Gambo was certain that she would return. He unhid the lure so he could take POV shots of it as through the eyes of his future victim. He then hid the lure again, exactly as she had left it. All this he did without stirring inside the glass case.

Gambo now accessed one of the cameras that had filmed his target in the lab. Although Protocol did not warrant it, he had it film her for the rest of the day. Sound mixers would generate dialog based on recordings of the target's conversations. Editors back on Gambo's home world of Malekort would splice these shots together to form a story for their encounter. Recognizing her as a "Head Girl", he ensures that the camera is programmed to avoid Stormbringer's offices. He also checks that it is programmed to stop filming her should another monster take her before she returns.

All preparations complete, Gambo goes back into sleep mode as his target moves out of his detection range. He is confident she will return and has already mapped out her "escape" route.

In a school full of girls, rumors spread incredibly fast. Whether it was gossip about a girl wearing mismatched socks or a student having a crush on another student or teacher, it was safe to assume that information will have spread to every corner of campus within a matter of hours. Vera was never one to care for rumors. But with the more recent rumors being about a troublesome group of rebels, the Head Girl has been keeping her ear to the ground a bit more often as of late.

News about an abandoned lab near the beach eventually reached her ears. It sounded odd that NICE labs or Shokushu would simply leave a building to rot and collect dust, especially on a small island. The discovery did attract the curious including Vera. It was doubtful anything would be left behind in such a place, NICE labs was not that sloppy. But, there was always that chance that something was there something that would reveal more about this island's past or even information about the present. This would be annoying if an ordinary student got a hold of it. Besides, she could take some notes down before turning such data in to the staff. Knowledge was power afterall.

It did not take much effort to find a group of students eager to go exploring the labs. She might as well keep an eye on these curious students and ensure they do not stumble upon anything while she searched herself. Leading the way, the group arrived at the entrance to the labs.

The more she explored the abandoned building the more questions she found herself asking. It really did not make sense to let a building go to waste here. It was not like the island was under the same restrictions as Earth. Of course several questions about why they left brought forth the imagination. After while, Vera simply shook her head. It was stupid to make assumptions. But knowing monsters exist, she could not help but worry that something was here in the dark labs.

The other students seemed content in spooking each other than actually exploring so she went on ahead. There was equipment but all of it was damage beyond repair. There was even debris from crumpling walls and ceilings but the building remained rather sturdy. Searching one of the deeper rooms, her foot nudge something of interest.

Dusting it off, it appeared to be a old journal. The pages had not aged well but she could make out some test in it. But with only a flashlight and what little light could reach the window, she would need to take this back to her room in order to study it more thoroughly. Looking around and ensuring no one was watching, she covered the journal with dust and debris and ensured it was out of the way so no one could trip over it like she did. Satisfied, she returned to the group to help finish their expedition.

---

The rest of the day went uneventful for Vera. She attended the rest of her classes and dealth with a few troublesome students. After making her report and having her fun with Cala, she left to head for the building once more.

The sun was already fading over the horizon by the time she reached her destination. Walking so far from campus at night was risky even for a Head Girl. She knew where the journal was. Vera had no intention of being greedy. Just the journal, in and out as quickly as possible. Going over such a plan made her tense up slightly. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself. It will be fine, she has dealt with monsters before should one find her.

With her resolve renewed, Vera entered the lobby and flicked on her flashlight. She scanned the area before proceeding towards the room she found the journal in.

Gambo's masters back on Malekort would be very pleased with their prized Zombie. Not only had the girl from earlier in the day returned, but the camera Gambo had sent to trail her returned marvelous footage.

Gambo comes alert as Vera enters his detection range. He is sure it is her and sends another camera to record her progress from the front. Gambo was quite pleased with the camera angles. When the Head Girl re-enters the building, her fate is sealed. She cannot escape now and Gambo puts his plan into action.

The sound of the crashing surf subsides as Vera enters the building. As the sound of the surf quiets, Vera can hear the effects of the irregular breeze. Her flashlight's beam reveals a small scrap of drywall tapping against its mother wall with each wind gust. A dry leaf skitters across the sand covered floor. All in all the building has quite an eerie feel to it, especially when one considers the island's nastier denizens.

As Vera nears her target lab, a strong gust of wind whips through the abandoned building, causing an open door quickly squeal open followed by a slow creek towards closed again. The room with the creaking door contains Gambo under glass. Though Gambo is certain that the Head Girl will ignore the door, it didn't hurt to add the chance of a little spice to their imminent encounter.

Of all the effects the gust of wind had inside the building, the worst from Vera's point of view was just about to happen. The sudden gust is quickly followed by a scrape, then a thump, and finally a crash. The table under which Vera had hidden the journal has crashed down and pinned the journal to the floor. Too heavy to lift herself, she will need to find a lever to get the lure now.

A small voice in the back of her mind kept telling her to turn and run, to leave this place. Perhaps coming early in the morning would have been better. Vera cursed herself for not thinking of it and cursed herself for making herself nervous like this. Its done, she is here already. She will just have to take care of this here and now.

The darkness did little to ease her nerves. Sounds were always louder in the dark as she picks up details she never noticed before. The faint scrapping of drywall attracted her eyes and flashlight. She began to scan the room more thoroughly as she continued down the hall. Even the light sound of a dry leaf scratching across the sandy floor sounded deafening to Vera's ears. She could not help but feel a shiver run down her spine. She hated this but it had to be done. One way or another, the staff or headmaster would have asked her to come her to make sure there was no evidence remaining eventually.

A sudden gust of wind whips by her body causing a loud creek to echo down the hall. Despite her tendency to be calm and composed, the Head Girl jumped at the sound. Her pulse raced as she could hear her heart pounding in her chest. Her jaw clenched as she looked over at the door as it creaked shut. She wasn't freaked out, she kept telling herself. But despite her futile reassurance, she moved faster down the hall towards the room the journal was in.

Vera did not even take two steps as she heard more sounds up ahead. A loud crash revealed that something had finally given in to the sands of time. Ugh, this was getting bothersome. She stormed into the room, shining her light throughout the room. The room was still intact but the table had fallen apart and was now on top of the journal she needed. Out of all the bloody luck...

Unfortunately her light and shadow spells were no where near the strength necessary to move such a heavy object. Perhaps there is a table leg or rod she could use as a lever. If not, she would have to call this expedition off and return with a better tool. Sighing softly, she starts with the room she was in for something that could help her out of the predicament.

All that Vera can find in this lab are a seemingly sturdy piece of wood that snaps and a metal rod that bends before the table even budges. As Vera's search moves deeper into the building, the atmosphere becomes more and more eerie, with a creak here and a scrape there. Somewhere in the distance she hears a sound that could be a creature moving through the woods - or the wind.

Her search leads her to the door that spooked her earlier. Gambo decides that it is time to strike. He waits by the door for his chance to ambush the Asian woman. Vera is slowly opening the door when she hears a skittering sound from a room across the hall. She quickly turns her head to look into the room. Meanwhile, her flashlight beam illuminates Gambo standing a mere three feet in front of her. Swinging the flashlight towards the other room, Vera sees what she seeks and closes the spooky door just as the zombie's hands raise to grab her.

Going to the other room, Vera comes to what looks like a pry bar lying in clutter on a work bench. When she picks it up, a small creature skitters away screeching and knocking over beakers and other nick knacks. At first disappointed over his setback, Gambo happily accepts the delay. The girl's reaction to the rodent was quite photogenic. He decides to strike as she retrieves the lure. He waits and observes the beauty with the silver-white hair as she goes to retrieve the lure.

She sighs softly, nothing of use here. Not even the metal bar was enough to move the broken table. The Head Girl stepped out into the hall and suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She never had this feeling when she came here earlier in the day. But now everything felt strange. She felt goosebumps across her skin as if there was another presence here besides herself.

Vera creeked open the door that was moving earlier only to be distracted by a sudden skittering. With all the sounds she has been hearing in the dark, this made her jump. But whatever it was sounded small. Probably a rodent she thought to herself as she entered the other room.

The distraction proved useful as it revealed a pry bar which should work. She walked over and grabbed it only to see something skitter away from the work bench, screeching loudly as beakers fall and break all over the floor. Vera had stumbled back words as a sharp cry of shock left her lips. The doorway stopped her retreat as she slumped against it for a few moments. She found herself gasping for breath and her heart was throbbing her throat.

Ugh! How could she be so stupid? She quickly stood up. Hands kept smoothing her skirt and uniform as if to reassure her that everything was fine. She was still smoothing her sash as she stepped into the hall with the pry bar in hand. Vera was looking forward to getting out of her and back into her suite after all this. The Head Girl entered the last room she was in and went over the fallen table. Having the pry bar calmed her nerves a bit. She wedged under the table and began to pry it upwards so she could finally free the journal.

Gambo really likes how this film film is progressing. He had feared that a Head Girl would be too jaded to frighten well. This girl, however, is a gem. If her sexual performance is half as good as her performance to this point, she quickly will become a fan favorite destined to many follow up films.

He uses more cameras to film the beauty walking down the hall. She walks with such a seductive grace even when she is unaware that someone is watching her. Gambo looks forward to seeing how she moves when she runs. Gambo hopes she runs. She might try to defend herself with the pry bar. That would be acceptable. The worst thing she could do would be to freeze and allow Gambo to capture her easily.

Gambo silently opens the hallway door. As he moves down the hall, he notices the invisible camera capturing his POV. He enters the room unseen and unheard. He walks to within a few feet of her, making sure she has a clear path to the outside door. If she runs, she will head that way. And while sand and debris prevented her from closing it, Gambo will close it just before she reaches it. Even though it will appear loose, she won't be able to open it.

He sees the perfect path to his prey. Gambo takes a step for Vera and steps on broken glass, making a crunching sound. He sees the girl tense at the sound. Perhaps she wishes that the sound doesn't mean what she is sure it means. He takes another step, silently this time, towards the beautiful woman. He reaches both hands for her head and says, "want BRAIN!"

((Fear not, Gentle Reader. The zombie in no way desires the Head Girl's brain. He's just saying that to scare her. Like most men, a woman's brain does not interest him, only her body.))
((And for those students who have first hand experience with the Head Girl: I'm sorry but her brain is not on the menu.))

((That's right, i'm still using it! Sort of =P))

"Ngh!" she tugged on the prybar as she slowly raises the broken section of table. The Head Girl finally managed to wedge the bar under the table, propping it up just enough to slide the journal out from under it. Finally, some progress. This night was already dragging for far too long. It was doubtful there was any daylight left now not that she could tell in these nearly pitch black rooms.

~crack!~

That was not a sound a student wanted to hear in a place like this. The sound of a footstep over broken glass made her blood run cold. Someone or something was here and it was right behind her. Vera grabbed the prybar and was about to turn around when she suddenly heard the thing yell out of her...brain?

The flashlight was still facing towards the table on the floor, leaving her unsure what the thing looked like. It appeared humanoid but with the phrase it opened with, she began to question if this thing was even alive. The Head Girl was not going to ask questions. She immediately pulled out the prybar, causing the table to slam back onto the floor with a loud crash. In her haste she accidently kicked the flashlight away sending it spinning across the floor. It was then she began to get glimpses of the things horrorfying visage.

The thing was human or at least it used to be. Flesh was rotting and even peeling off in some areas. She could even see parts of bone sticking out at various joints. Everything that Vera saw told her one thing, this thing was an actual zombie. The Head Girl knew much about the island and its many monsters but never had she encountered a zombie before. She was unprepared, unsure what to think of this. But every fiber of her being told her one thing, run.

The Head Girl cried out in shock and horror as she suddenly made a mad dash for the door. Without her flashlight she left in darkness briefly before the woman began to channel her mana. Small wisps of light suddenly flash in the palm of her hand and began to illuminate the area around her. She was not going to stumble around in the dark if she did not have to. All she could hope for is that zombies were like they were in horror novels, slow and stupid.

Slow, perhaps. Definitely, unfortunately for Vera, not stupid. The feeling of her fear that he had been sipping changed into a wave of terror. The rush gave Gambo an immediate boost in energy. He let out a frustrated growl while inwardly pleased that she is running. He had feared that she would freeze and be an easy capture.

While keeping his frustrated expression, Gambo marvels at how gracefully the young woman runs. Adding to her beauty and grace is how her terror radiates from her as she moves. She does disappoint him in one way however - What a waste of mana to use it to light her way. Better to use it to improve her odds. Well, he may as well begin to pursue her. He wouldn't want her to think she has escaped so easily. That would just be cruel. So Gambo starts to slowly shuffle towards the fleeing Head Girl.

He waits until she approaches the outside door. He then starts to close it in front of her, the door seeming to move on its own. Had her progress not been slowed by the sand in the lobby, Vera probably would have reached the door before it closed. But the door rattles closed just as she arrives and blocks the Asian woman's escape. Giving her a glimmer of hope though, the door gives a little as she crashes into it, suggesting that she could coax it open.

Every time Vera tries to force it open, the door seems to budge open just a little bit more. This false hope is just to give the frightened girl something to do while Gambo makes up the distance. If she uses the pry bar on the door, he will use that opportunity to relieve her of it when he catches up to her. He has decided that the girl using it as a weapon is not consistent with her character in the film.

To give her added incentive to work on the door, Gambo lets out a low growl as he enters the lobby. His slow shuffle gives her time, but not all night. His prey is performing magnificently and he really is looking forward to the moment when he finally consummates the film.

Unfortunately, Vera's studies in magic are bound by the limits NICE labs have put on her. They were of course eager to learn more about how magic works to help make more powerful dampeners. But she was forbidden to learn spells that cause a massive amount of damage since the monsters were afterall clients in the slave trade. It would be unfavorable to cause harm to their customers. That left the Head Girl with only basic utility spells to study and to use should students prove too unruly. She simply was not equiped in dealing with the living dead. Even if she did, she was too freaked out to think straight anyway.

The pile of sand soaked most of her speed as she ran for the doors. Her eyes grew wide as the doors shut before her eyes. Vera tried to run faster but it was no used, the door shut just as she body slammed into it. She gasped in pain but felt the door give some. Hearing the growls and the shuffling pace of the zombie, Vera immediately jammed the pry bar into the crack of the door and began trying to leve it open. The Head Girl cursed in annoyance. Out of all the things to happen and go wrong.

She looked back to see the zombie's progress as she pulled harder and harder on the pry bar. Her hands ached as the metal dug into them. In an attempt to slow down the thing, she released the pry bar and turned towards the dark hall. The wisps of light continued to float about her body. The spidery words of magic began to flow from her lips once more. Much more power was being used this time as her long silver hair began to sway. The dark shadows of the room began to shiver and sway as she brought forth long threads of darkness to her hands and fingertips. Swiping her arms towards the dead man, the threads thicken into long ropes of shadow that attempt to wrap around the zombie's arms and legs. Not wasting anytime, she immediately turned back to working the pry bar.

She was using her magic more usefully this time. Finally a spell that might accomplish something! He was disappointed by its lack of strength however. Still, over two and a half centuries of practicing his craft had given Gambo some skills. He acted as though the threads were actually holding him. She only saw him initially struggle with the threads, returning her full attention to the door. Even though she could no longer see him, he still struggled knowing the cameras were rolling. He could only keep up the charade for a few moments though. Surely she knew how weak her spell was and would become suspicious if he fought it for too long.

Gambo bends over and draws his arms inward. Then in a swift motion opens them wide, breaking the fragile hold of the shadows. Now it was time to move Vera to the next phase. As she pulls on the pry bar, she hears and feels a snap like she has moved the door past a critical point. Unfortunately, that point acts like a spring and the door slams shut, yanking the bar out of her hands and wedging it in the door. Now the door no longer gives when pushed.

As the Head girl was occupied with the now useless pry bar, Gambo makes up the distance between the two and grabs hold of Vera's collar. She feels cold, clammy fingers on her back. As one of the fingers slides into place, the friction between it and her back causes a hunk of skin to slide off. The chunk slides down her back, held in by her shirt. He completes his maneuver by tugging on her collar, rocking her back slightly.

When she tries to escape, he will yank on the collar and rip the fabric. In order to escape, she will have to give up the shirt on her back. In fact from this point forward, every escape will cost her at least one article of clothing. If he does this right, Gambo can strip Vera nude without her even suspecting he is doing it.

Sadly, even the dampeners affect a Head Girl's magical abilities. Vera was too focused on breaking out of this building to notice that the zombie had already tore free of its bonds. Hearing the wood snapping, she was unsure what was blocking or holding the door shut but one way or another she would tear this door down.

The door did not seem to agree with that plan as it suddenly slammed shut, pulling Vera up against the door. What the hell? The was not stuck, but something was forcing it closed. She grabbed the pry bar and found it stuck as well. The wood was not giving at all. She might as well try prying open a solid wall at this rate. The only ways out of this place would be a window. It was her only chance now.

Cold clammy fingers suddenly grabbed hold of the back of her collar. Her blood froze at the disgusting and vile feeling of the rotting flesh running down her back. There was no way she was going to be taken like this. "Ugh!" she immediately turned and tried to run past the zombie. The thing tried to yank her back but only succeeded in tearing off her shirt and jacket. The rotted flesh that was stuck fell to the floor with a wet slap but Vera did not look back as she ran to another room that she remembered having a window. The stench of death was nauseating. Still feeling the wet fluid against her pale skin, she fought to keep herself from retching. She had to get out of here.

Sadly indeed, as Gambo preferred more of a fight from his prey. Hampered as Vera was, he would have to guide her through a series of obstacles and narrow "escapes" believable to both the prey and the audience to maximize the entertainment value of this film.

Back at the jammed door, Gambo growls as though frustrated that his prey has escaped. He rips her shirt and jacket to shreds before continuing his pursuit. He follows the Head Girl, stopping long enough to pick up his bit of skin and place it back on his finger. It attaches itself in only a moment. Hearing the Asian beauty slam a door shut gives him hope that she will attempt to barricade herself in the room. That will make his entrance more dramatic.

He sends two cameras racing outside to film her as she attempts to climb out the window. One will get her from the front and the other will film her from the side. Escaping the building will cost Vera another article of clothing. No! Two! Though he doesn't show it, Gambo is quite pleased that he thought of a way to double her loss.

In the room, the window is open just enough for Vera to get her fingers under it. As she tries to slide it up, it moves ever so slightly with each attempt. No matter how hard she tries though, the window will not open until Gambo enters the room. And she can't find anything in the room that will help her pry it open or break the glass.

With a single blow, Gambo breaks through the door. At that moment the window finally gives in to the Head Girl's efforts and slides open. When she starts to scramble out though, it slides down and clamps on her waist, trapping her. Gambo spends a few moments throwing things out of his way to give his prey time to struggle and scream. (It also provides a good point to insert a commercial when they finally show this film on television.)

Knowing the zombie would be coming soon, she merely shuts the door. It would take too much time to move heavy objects to block the door. It was doubtful that would even slow the thing down. The dead man was strong enough to break her binding spell, it would not take much to tear down a wooden door. Besides, barricading would mean she wanted to stay in this horrible place.

Running to the window, she grits her teeth in frustration as the window barely budges. Whoever built the windows and doors in this place deserves to be sent to a special type of hell for this. She was making progress little by little. Sounds of exertion and desperation left Vera as she put everything she had to pulling open the window.

The sound of the door crashing open made her cringe. In one final yank, the window finally gave and opened fully. Vera did not even look back as she crawled through the window only to have it suddenly slams down on her waist. "Ack!" she gasped in pain as she tried to wiggle and squeeze the rest of the way through. She did not care if this meant falling head first out the window. The Head Girl just wanted to be away from the dead thing chasing after her. "Come on!" she gasped, whimpering softly as she kept struggling to get free.

Since the girl hadn't blocked the door, Gambo quickly ran out of things to throw around. He felt a great deal of satisfaction in his delay as the desperate Head Girl is making quite a beautiful show thrashing around. She wiggles her wonderful ass, kicks her delicious legs, and squirms so seductively. The cameras outside capture Vera's fear and struggles quite artistically and demonstrate how well Gambo understands his medium.

It was time to move the damsel in distress along and remove a couple more pieces of her clothing in the process. Gambo slowly shuffles towards the struggling maiden. When he's only a few steps away he begins to laugh a most evil sounding laugh. As he reaches her, he pats the small of her back. Whether she is trying to hit him or just trying to free herself, she kicks him without effect.

He grabs the jammed window for leverage. (Shift to outside camera, side view) Then he reaches back and slams his fist through the window. It shatters as though it were made of sugar glass. He reaches through and seems to make several attempts to grab her head. On his last grab, Gambo catches the Head Girl's bra strap. He growls out, "tasty brain!"

Finally with a hold of her, he starts to pull her back as he opens the window. Gambo skillfully gives the strap a slight twist which causes it to "accidentally" rip in the front. The zombie falls back with a roar, his momentum throwing open the window. Landing on the floor with Vera's bra in hand, Gambo reaches up and loosly grabs at one of her calves to give her extra incentive to jump out the window.

Unfortunately for the Head Girl, her skirt is snagged on the window sill. If she wants to escape, she'll have to leave it behind. Keep it on and stay, an easy choice. When she gets outside, thick thorn bushes will funnel her deep into the jungle where Gambo has even more surprises for his leading lady.