Disclaimer: Due to a lack of time this week, this will be a bit more abbreviated that normal.
Following the battle with the nightgaunts, Ralph was able to land the aircraft at the military base located on the side of Mt. Kinabalu. However, one of the landing gear struts collapsed in the process, meaning the plane is not in an condition to take off again without repairs.
The plane was greeted by Captain Lancaster and a handful of his men. The soldiers were put to work unloading the gear, and Lancaster invited them to join him in the mess for lunch as it was about midday. He seemed particularly smitten with Vivienne and viewed Ralph as the leader of the group.
Before departing for lunch, Shapiro pulled the team aside and showed them a wood box with intricate decorations. He explained that it was called a Haftorang Device, a powerful bomb that would create a fireball 10 miles in diameter. While the team were incredulous at such a thing, Shapiro told them there was quite a bit of advanced technology at Caduceus, and this was one example. The problem is that with all the combat inside the plane the device was both activated and damaged, its timer started and on a 24-hour countdown. This meant they had to do their work quickly. The team asked about simply driving it down the mountain and disposing it somewhere safe, but Shapiro indicated this was impractical as there was no way to effectively get it down the mountain and away from populated areas, and that doing so would allow the outbreak to potential spread out of control. They begrudgingly agreed to continue with the mission, though remained unsure as to what to do with the device.
Over lunch Lancaster provided them with a local map. He also showed them the trophy head of a strange elephant-like creature that had been shot by one of the soldiers recently, offering up its meat which he said was quite delicious. Maddie and Don Juan tried some, while the rest of the team stuck with some lighter fare. Lancaster also told a bit of his time in the Great War, and his stationing in Hong Kong after that. Vivienne advised she had been raised there, fascinating Lancaster. Lancaster also told of visiting one of the local "villain hitters", jokingly having her put a curse on one of his rivals, who coincidentally drowned just a few weeks later. The old woman also told him he would have many great adventures, but eventually die in a ball of fire, though added something to the effect of "son you can save, you help". He didn't know what she meant by this and Vivienne offered no clues.
Lancaster introduced them to local guide named Abidin, and Shapiro showed them the viral analyzer and how it works. While this was happening, a local woman staggered out of the jungle and toward the gate. Two soldiers raised their rifles at her. Maddie raced over and tried to keep them from shooting her, but eventually one of them did, to the dismay of the team. Shapiro, however, made sure to collect a sample from her bodie.
The team, guided by Abidin, left the camp in two armored cars. After about 20 minutes they came across a huge section of the forest that had seen something large move through it, but they did not stop to investigate, instead continuing on to Kazin's tobacco farm. There they were greeted by Kazin, who wanted no part of the women talking to him, though he did seemingly true to lure Vivienne into his home to show of his suits. This made Ralph nervous, and he and Colt agreed that they should not leave Maddie or Vivienne alone here.
Shapiro and some locals moved his equipment to the medical camp part of the shanty to begin his work. The party spoked to a few locals with Abidin's help. A boy named Muda in particular proved valuable, indicating that a week or so prior he saw a snake man come into the camp and pour/drop something into the well. Maddie touched Muda and had a vision that confirmed this appeared to be a serpent person, who entered and left the camp from the forest bordering it to the east.
Maddie wanted to find out what had been put into the well, but was unable to see anything or fish it out with the bucket. Colt was able to provider her with a large glass jar that she put over her head and used as a sort of diving bell, being lowered into the well from above. She found a test tube which she brought back up and gave to Shapiro for analysis.
Ralph found what they recognized as serpent person tracks nearby, which headed east into the forest. The team decided to follow these while Shapiro worked on taking samples.
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