Part 8 - Hollerton Field

A graphical representation of the current situation in Barberton City.

Hollerton Field Urban Redevelopment Area

Hollerton Field was established on the outskirts of Barberton City as an airship base in 1924. It was converted to an pilot training airfield in 1930 and was decommissioned in 1977. In 1984 it was sold to a property company. The neighbouring area of scrub land had in the meantime become the Hollerton industrial estate, but following the financial crash the buildings there were mostly abandoned. By 2010 the area was derelict with many buildings having been demolished pending redevelopment, burnt out by fire-raisers, or made uninhabitable by their owners to prevent occupation by squatters. In 2015 in an attempt to revive the area the city council declared the area, including the old airfield, an urban redevelopment area, and Hollerton Field itself was sold on by its previous owner to another property company who published plans for high-end housing inside a gated estate and installed secure fencing round the field. Since then no work has taken place, although the fencing is well maintained and the grass and scrub within the fence is regularly cut back. The old runways and hard standing remain in place, although they are no longer suitable for fixed wing aircraft operations.

1. Another dumpster fire in the industrial wasteland that was once Barberton City's prosperous Hollerton Field.

2. Well-known Barberton entrepeneur, Wilbur T. Mandelson, and his PA Ms Oldsworthy, make their way towards the Field's secure perimeter protected by four company security guards.

3. One of the Infected rushes towards Security Guard Kowalczyk who is fortunately alerted by the guttural, strangled moans of the creature as it moves to the attack.

4. Under the orders of Section Leader Brettschneider, the security guards' combined fire guns down the Infected while Mandelson and Ms Oldsworthy hurry on.

5. Unfortunately the gunfire attracts more Infected and the first of a group of three comes into sight of the party.

6. The three Infected race towards the party under a hail of fire from the security guards and the leading figure is hit several times.

Initial: On hearing from a source in the Governor's office that martial law was in the process of being introduced, Barberton City entrepreneur Wilbur T. Mandelson decided it was time to leave. His PA, Ms Oldsworthy immediately arranged for his private jet to be fuelled and ready at Schuyler Airport. Schuyler, being at the northern edge of the city, was an hour's drive from the company offices at Mandelson Tower and they both set off accompanied by an escort of company security guards.

However, on the way through the town, reports came in from the northern part that the outbreak had reached the airport and all flights had ceased. Quickly reassessing, Ms Oldsworthy suggested that they switch east to where Mandelson PLC still maintained a heliport facility at Hollerton and where only a moderate level of infection had been reported. Abandoning their SUV in a mile long traffic jam, the party headed on foot towards the now deserted Hollerton Field Industrial Estate while Mandelson called in a company helicopter to the site.

Their progress through the abandoned industrial estate was generally uneventful although gunshots, the screams of the Infected and their hapless victims could be heard in the distance. Their advance towards the helipad was slow owing to a combination of caution on the part of Section Leader Brettschneider's security guards and the constriction of Ms Oldsworthy's 6-inch heeled Jimmy Choos as she teetered along over the broken ground.

Presumably it was her rather noisy progress that attracted the attention of one of the Infected who came out from behind a building at the rear of the party. Seeing the group, it gave vent to a series of strangled moans and sprinted towards the youngest security guard Pyotr Kowalczyk who turned swiftly and attempted to shoot but whose gun unfortunately jammed.

Brettschneider ordered the rest of the guards to open fire and did so himself. The resultant volley had the effect of causing the Infected to stagger backwards and despite a second unsuccessful attempt by Kowalczyk to clear his gun the remaining three shot the Rager down. As this was taking place Mandelson and Ms Oldsworthy hurried on - only to slow down and move back towards the guards as more cries and howls from a ruined building to their left announced that more Infected had been attracted by the sounds of shooting.

Not surprisingly, three more Infected ran into view and sped towards the party. The leading Infected was hit three times but this failed to halt his progress and young Kowalczyk broke and ran as the rager came within a few feet of him. Luckily, Brettschneider coolly shot the howling rager and it fell to the ground twitching erratically. The two remaining security guards fired at the following Infected and one was killed outright while the other was knocked to the ground. As it lay there, Kowalczyk, recovering his nerve, ran forward and shot it dead.

The silence that followed was broken a few seconds later by more guttural moans and cries to the right of the party and for a terrible moment they froze expecting another eruption of ragers from the nearby buildings. However, the cries and roars remained at a distance and the party hurried on.

As they reached one of the many dumpster fires littering the ruined estate a fresh chrous broke out also to their right but this too remained at a distance and the party reached the chain link fence surrounding the helipad without further trouble as the helicopter hove into view.

As they climbed aboard the helicopter, the ragers behind the building charged forward, attracted by the engine noises but were, thankfully, too far away to affect their departure.

7. Security Guard Kowalczyk breaks and runs from the leading Infected but the rest of the section fire steadily at their attackers.

8. s the leading attacker is downed the remaining Infected continue forward under fire as the security guards loose off round after round.

9. As the last of the three Infected attackers falls writhing to the ground the sounds of firing attract yet more curious Infected to the Field.

10. Fortunately for the party, the new groups of Infected are not in direct sight of the path to the heliport and, as the firing has now died down, mill about aimlessly near some ruined buildings.

11. Mandelson calls in the helicopter to the landing pad while Ms Oldsworthy looks on and the security team remain alert.

12. Mr Mandelson makes sure he is first one into the helicopter.