"Eavesdropping" is the eighteenth mission of Season 1.
Abel has secured a New Canton Runner headset. Why not take it out on your next supply run? You never know what you might hear.
Cast[]
Crew[]
- Writer: Naomi Alderman
- Director: Matt Wieteska
- Sound Designer: Mark Pittam
- Series Created By: Naomi Alderman
Scenes[]
Testing Lem's Radio
Janine and Sam bicker about the reasons behind an injury on an earlier run. Janine then lets you know that you'll be on a run for tech supplies, but that you'll be listening in on Lem's New Canton headset whilst you do so.
Janine's Secret
Janine regrets having to use subterfuge against New Canton, but admits it is necessary given their seeming desire to attack Abel. Sam asks if she knew anyone in New Canton before the outbreak, but Janine responds that she kept herself to herself, as she wishes she still could. Sam teases her about a photograph he found of Janine in a bikini with an old boyfriend. As you arrive at the warehouse full of tech supplies, Lem's headset crackles into life.
Flares
Over Lem's headset, you hear Nadia coaching some New Canton runners to use flares to distract zombies. This leads the zombies into your path. Sam and Janine tell you to run.
Conflicting Orders
Nadia celebrates Runner 49's killing of a zombie with a flare, which attracted other zombies to it. She mourns Lem's loss. Sam and Janine discuss whether New Canton are evil in their intentions. They disagree over which way you should run to flee approaching zombies.
Revelation
Having escaped the zombies, you continue to overhear Nadia's transmissions. You hear her expressing her distrust of Abel, and discussing New Canton's plans to raid Abel for supplies next week.
Transcript[]
SAM YAO: Raise the gates! [gate siren, gate raising] Runner Five ready? Gates are open, covering fire, and [gunshots] go!
JANINE DE LUCA: Have you told Runner Five what’s happening today, Mister Yao?
SAM YAO: Well, you know, I thought about it, but then I remembered how you seemed pretty convinced I didn’t explain things properly on that last electronics run with Runner Two.
JANINE DE LUCA: Yes, I hear the delightful David Robinson will be coming out of hospital soon.
SAM YAO: I was not responsible for that.
JANINE DE LUCA: If you argue with my direct order, Mister Yao, then you’re going to confuse the runners, making it more likely that they’ll run into hostile territory.
SAM YAO: Or another way of putting that, Janine, is that if you don’t let me do my job properly -
JANINE DE LUCA: Runner Five, we’ve fitted you out with the radio you took from the New Canton base in addition to our own radio, and we’re hoping that -
SAM YAO: Hey! No snatching the mic while I’m talking!
JANINE DE LUCA: - we’re hoping that you might be able to pick up some useful intel while on your regular run for tech supplies. It’s a simple mission, Runner Five, and if you get confused at any time, just listen to my voice -
SAM YAO: - or my voice!
JANINE DE LUCA: MY voice! Runner Five, run!
[zombies groaning]
JANINE DE LUCA: You’re doing well, Runner Five.
SAM YAO: Hey, that’s my - ! [sighs] Yeah, you’re doing very well, Runner Five. Everything within normal mission parameters, speed’s good, two zoms behind you, but you’re outpacing them. See?
JANINE DE LUCA: Yes, moving on. It is rather troubling that we should have to resort to subterfuge to spy on other humans, as I’m sure Runner Five agrees. Nonetheless, we have no option. New Canton set a deliberate trap for Runner Five. We need to find out what their plans are.
SAM YAO: Hey, Janine? As you keep reminding me, this was your house before it became Abel Township. Didn’t you uh, know anyone in the New Canton compound, then? Old castle… the lord and lady of the place didn’t invite you over for tea?
JANINE DE LUCA: I kept to myself, Mister Yao. Before the apocalypse, it was just about possible to live a quiet life. I suppose it was too much to hope that I’d be able to live alone in an old farmhouse with thick stone walls for long. Wasn’t long before the hordes descended.
SAM YAO: Mmm. Zombies.
JANINE DE LUCA: No, you! And all these other people seeking shelter.
SAM YAO: Hey! We’ve helped out around here, haven’t we? We’ve grown stuff, built stuff. [laughs] Anyway, you’re totally lying about that quiet life thing. I know your secret.
JANINE DE LUCA: My… secret?
SAM YAO: Yeah, I hear things, you know? I meet a lot of people in this position. Talk to a lot of people? And some of those runners, when I save their lives, they’re really grateful. The female runners especially - SO grateful.
JANINE DE LUCA: Grateful enough to...thank you politely, Mister Yao?
SAM YAO: … yeah. Pretty much exactly that grateful.
JANINE DE LUCA: And they told you my… secret?
SAM YAO: Yup! We found your old photos. You had a boyfriend! [laughs] And you wore a bikini.
JANINE DE LUCA: Ah, yes. Quite the deepest, darkest secret you could possibly imagine. I don’t suppose you go on imagining it, Mister Yao, for you own sake.
SAM YAO: Or what?
JANINE DE LUCA: Or I will be forced to shoot you in the head.
SAM YAO: Uh… okay? And Runner Five, you should be coming up on that warehouse with tech supplies now.
NADIA AL HANAKI: Runner Forty-three and Forty-nine, fall back! Fall back and fire the flares, there’s a swarm heading for you!
[flares crackling]
NADIA AL HANAKI: That’s great, guys! Runner Forty-three, those flares are working just like we hoped. The zoms are attracted to the light and the noise, and away from you!
SAM YAO: Oh, arse. Are they doing that on purpose?
JANINE DE LUCA: I suspect not. They’re using a rather clever concealment strategy. I wish I’d thought of it first.
SAM YAO: But they’re all landing by Runner Five. Five, the whole swarm’s heading straight for you!
JANINE DE LUCA: Runner Five, don’t panic - do run!
SAM YAO: Run!
[zombies groaning]
NADIA AL HANAKI: Whoa, good shot, Runner Forty-nine! Took out a zombie with a zombie flare, which then attracted other zombies to it! Way to go! Just like Lem woulda wanted! … Yeah, I miss him, too. We’re not gonna put in a new Runner Thirty-eight, you know. We’re retiring his number. He… he was quite a guy.
SAM YAO: They’re still behind you, Runner Five. Keep running! If those New Canton bastards aren’t targeting Runner Five on purpose -
JANINE DE LUCA: Why would they do that?
SAM YAO: I don’t know? Because they’re evil?
JANINE DE LUCA: No one’s evil, Mister Yao.
SAM YAO: Well, how about those billionaires who went to the private island at the outbreak of the plague and shot anyone who tried to come near them, even obviously harmless refugees?
JANINE DE LUCA: Very few people are evil. Our best hope is to try to understand - if they’re targeting us, they’re doing it for a reason.
NADIA AL HANAKI: Good work, guys. Zombies decoyed into empty territory. They’re all heading away from you.
SAM YAO: Runner Five, there are more heading towards you.
JANINE DE LUCA: Run towards the New Canton runners, it’s the only way to escape!
SAM YAO: Are you crazy? Run away - AWAY from New Canton!
JANINE DE LUCA: This is exactly how Runner Two ended up in the hospital, Mister Yao!
SAM YAO: I…
JANINE: [whispers] - do this, the same thing will happen again!
SAM YAO: [whispers] You know very well that was not my fault, we’ve been through this!
JANINE and SAM simultaneously: Runner Five! Run away from the zombies!
SAM YAO: Okay, okay, you seem to be getting clear of them.
JANINE DE LUCA: While staying in transmitter distance of New Canton, that’s good work, Runner Five!
SAM YAO: That’s hardly the main point, here!
JANINE DE LUCA: On the contrary, it’s mission critical!
NADIA AL HANAKI: - Runner Forty-nine. Looks like these flares will be a useful tool to us in future. Yeah, the council says we’re running low on some supplies they’re hoarding up at Abel Township. No, I don’t trust those bastards, either. They’re probably the ones who let Lem get bitten. Yeah, we’ll be raiding them next week.
Codex[]
Supplies[]
The following supplies can be found in this mission.
(List may be incomplete.)
9mm Ammo
Axe
Bandages
Baseball Bat
Batteries
Book
Bottled Water
Box of Lightbulbs
Mobile Phone
Pain Meds
Power Cable
Radio
Relaxation Tape
Shirt
Shorts
Sports Bra
Tinned Food
Tool Box
Trousers
Underwear
USB Key
Other Languages[]
This mission is also available in Spanish, Korean, Japanese, and French.
| Language | Title | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Espionaje | Espionage |
| Korean | 엿듣기 | Eavesdrop |
| Japanese | 盗聴 | Eavesdropping |
| French | Espionnage | Spying |
Trivia[]
- In the early versions of Zombies, Run! this mission had to be unlocked by upgrading your base's Comms to level 3.
- "Eavesdropping" is the shortest mission in Season 1, not counting The Brunswick Incident missions.
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