This War of Mine: Strength in Numbers

Home Base

"I can't believe anyone would leave all of this behind," Cupid says as he looks around the house that they had chosen as their temporary base. Besides the windows being blown out by the nearby bomb blasts the house looked beautiful, with large ornate doors connecting rooms and a mix of vintage and modern interior.

"They had enough money and brains to realize that they needed to get out of dodge before hell made its appearance in Pogoren," Roman says looking as though he is calculating tactical plans, defence, offence of the house, and how many resources he would need to do it.

"It will do perfectly for our purposes," Stacey says wandering further in.

"We cannot know that for sure until we take stock of everything that is here," Mark says.

"Well we will have to make this place fabulous," Cupid says semi-skipping further into the house.

"We picked this house because we had a good idea of what would be here," Roman says wandering after Cupid.

Mark gives Stacey a confused look.

"We both realized that if the worst were to happen," Stacey says gesturing outside. "That we would need someplace safe to stay."

Mark blinks in surprise but the confused look does not leave his face.

"I have always had an interest in history, especially history that is still with us," She says. "My old man worked on houses new and old. Sometimes I would quiz him about them, and in reminiscing on those conversations Roman and I realized that a late victorian style house would probably be best for our purposes. Rich people usually build pretty decent houses and late victorian style houses like this one have a few perks that should make surviving here easier."

Mark nodding looks around once more. He can hear Cupid, down the hall squealing about the kitchen.

The front door they had just entered had lead into a vestibule with another door in the way. The entryways into other rooms had doors that could be locked and it did not look easy to just wander in and start shooting. A place that given some time and effort could be easy to defend, but they would need the supplies to do it.

"It could work," Mark says.

The two of them now wandering after the others.

——————-

From the vestibule comes a hall which parts into 4 different entrances, and three staircases. The entrances open to a sitting room with a fireplace, library, dining room, and a galley kitchen which has two pantry's attached to it. The largest set of stairs leads from the main floor to the second and on the second floor there are four bedrooms and a washroom. The next set of stairs near the largest set go into the basement, which has a coal receiver, huge furnace, meat locker and wine room. The final set of stairs is slightly smaller than the other two, and leads from the main floor, to the second floor and then to the attic. In the attic there are two bedrooms, a washroom and a small area with a sink, and cabinets. From the dining room another door leads out to a Conservatory, which itself has a door to the backyard. And finally there is another exit from the basement to the backyard in the form of a trapdoor.

"We need to divvy up jobs," Roman says as they all meet back in the kitchen. "If it wasn't obvious before I'm from the military so anything that has to do with taking out intruders or preparing this house for a siege will be my job."

He looks around expecting someone else to talk. His dark eyes flash with anger.

"Come on people, we are literally living in a war zone now. We need food and shelter for an undetermined amount of time. Now I know that up and until this point you have all had a fun time gushing over this house but we need to plan out what is going to happen next and we need to do it before it gets dark."

"Roman, it is not that I don't want to help but I am unsure of what I can offer," Stacey says.

"Besides man, I didn't even know your name until she just said it," Cupid says.

Mark stays quiet watching everything unfold.

"Alright lets do it like this then," Stacey says looking at everyone in the eye. "Hi my name is Stacey, I am a psychologist, to the best of my knowledge none of the hobbies I have will be very useful in this kind of a situation, but I am a faster learn when I need to be."

Cupid looks pointedly at Roman. "I'm Cupid, I used to run a nightclub so I know how to pour drinks and make tasty treats."

"Mark, Inventor," Mark says with a shrug.

All eyes in the room zero in on Mark.

"What kind of an inventor?" Roman asks.

Mark shrugs again. "I've tinkered with lots of different things. But if I have the right parts I can build almost anything."

"Wow you are like a cute Thomas Edison," Cupid says with a flirty smile aimed at Mark.

Mark just blushes and looks away.

"But I do not have everything I am going to need here," Mark says. "I could go out and get it but..."

"That would be way to dangerous," Roman says. "If you know how to make things we need you to stay here,"

"Then I volunteer to go out scavenging," Stacey says arms crossing over her chest.

And silence falls over the room. Looks of objection cross each mans face.

"Roman, you are our brawn, if anyone comes here looking for trouble every one of us needs you to stop them." Stacey says looking at him pointedly, and then shifting her gaze to Mark. "Mark, you are our brain, if you can make anything short of a (idk) then we need you hear to make the things that we will need to survive. And Cupid, I cannot cook to save my own life."

"Honey you don't need to say that, I can go out scavenging too," Cupid says putting a hand on Stacey's shoulder.

They exchange a smile before Stacey continues.

"I know could but give me this one, besides being a good ear, which is not what we really need right now, I have no other skills. But I am in shape, I go running every day and I think if I'm smart about how I do this..."

"And when does anyone think that they are going out to do this?" Roman asks. "Snipers are going to be set up all over the city, and if they don't get you then the other thugs out there will."

"So I scout first, map things out as I go and use my senses to figure where snipers are and where they are not," Stacey says turning to Roman. "But most importantly I do this all at night."

Romans eyes widen and he looks ready to argue.

"It could work," Mark says looking at the floor. "Being a woman with a smaller frame would give her an advantage that we don't have. The snipers will always be a problem but if there are snipers then there will be bodies. Adding to that we will need supplies at some point, food being the biggest priority if we all want to live."

Now everyone was looking at Mark in surprise.

"Ok, I deal with tactical, Mark deals with building the things we need, Cupid deals with meals, and Stacey deals with keeping us sane and scavenging," Roman says looking at everyone as he says this. "That work for everyone?"

"And we have to ask for help when we need it," Stacey says.

"Yes and first thing is first," Roman says. "We need to board up every window, secure the doors and take an inventory of what we have and what we need."

"I saw some boards in the basement that we can use, looks like the owners were planning a reno before they left," Mark says nodding.

"I call the second floor," Cupid says rushing off. "I am sooo grabbing the biggest room for myself."

"Basement, I think I'll set up my workshop down there," Mark says standing and vanishing.

Roman sighs and facepalms before looking at Stacey.

"It's good to have some levity in this kind of a situation," She says with a shrug. "Do you want the main floor or the attic?"

"I'll start down here but I could use some help when you get finished up there." He says and they start walking towards the front.

"Alright, the attic shouldn't take that long. I'll see you in a bit."