"The Kids Are Alright" is the eleventh mission of Season 2.
Locate the children that Lem was looking out for before his death.
Cast[]
Crew[]
- Writer: Rebecca Levene
- Director: Matt Wieteska
- Sound Designer: Richard Bell
- Series Created By: Naomi Alderman
Scenes[]
The Fraternal Alliance
The school children Lem had been helping have been located and Sam wants you bring back any survivors.
We've Got A Mission To Run
Sam tries to console Maxine and get her to open up about Paula, but he is unsuccessful.
Check Out That Campsite
Maxine briefly opens up about a time when she and Paula had a row about having kids.
Blood On The Hopscotch Court
Archie is waiting for you at the campsite. You catch a glimpse of the dilapidated school and Sam fears the worst, but Archie spots two children playing in the field.
Surrounded
Archie confirms that the children are alive, but zombies are on your tail and the kids are weighing you down.
Surrounded
You have the children, but they are proving a handful. Sam suggests circling back to the school for sanctuary, but you are now surrounded by the undead...
Transcript[]
[background chatter]
SAM YAO: Raise the gates! [gate siren, gates raising] Oh, man. Those gates have had a hard life. Just look at them! If those gates could talk, they’d say, “Help, I’m constantly being attacked by zombies!” Wait, where was I? Oh, yeah. Covering fire! [gunshots] And you’re off!
Okay, Runner Five. You know what they say about children and animals, yeah? [gate siren, gates lowering] So, it turns out there was all sorts of interesting stuff in that journal Lem left behind. Hmm, that’s not good, is it? They told me the road was flooded. [water running] Bloody global warming. You’d think the apocalypse would have stopped it, but apparently, the gas from all those decaying zombies is worse than cow farts. Guess you’d better take to the fields. Runner Seven and Four have beaten a path through that linseed to your left. Just follow that.
So yeah, yeah. Children. Lem talked about this guy called Jamie, who’s been looking after a whole bunch of kids since the Big Zed. Lem used to bring them stuff they needed – toys, food, vaccines, DVDs of In The Night Garden - but he really wanted to move the whole lot of them to New Canton, only… well, you know what happened before he could.
So now, the Fraternal Alliance – does that sound weird to you? It sounds weird to me. Apparently, that’s what we’ve agreed with New Canton to call ourselves. [laughs] The Fraternal Alliance is going to try and finish what Lem started. We located the kids’ primary school, and we’re hoping they’re still alive after all this time. Keep running, and keep your fingers crossed. If, uh, that doesn’t interfere with the running.
SAM YAO: Hey there, Runner Five! You’ve crossed the rail line, which means you might come to the end of my camera coverage fairly soon. Those bloody fast zoms took out about a dozen to the east, here. New Canton’s supplying us with headcams, but until those arrive, it’s going to be audio only, I’m afraid. But on the plus side, I’ve got someone else to entertain you!
MAXINE MYERS: I’m not exactly here for a casual chat, Sam.
SAM YAO: Yeah, I know. But I’m sure you can still be entertaining.
MAXINE MYERS: Oh yeah, I’m a riot!
SAM YAO: You know, I hardly ever seem to see you anymore. Maxine, I know you. Paula’s working with Van Ark. She’s half-zombified. It’s not nothing, Maxine. No matter how much you pretend, you haven’t been the same since… well, since we heard the news.
MAXINE MYERS: I can’t, Sam. I just can’t talk about it!
SAM YAO: Well, you know that, when you want to, I’m here.
MAXINE MYERS: Yeah. Well, we’ve got a mission to run, Sam.
SAM YAO: Yeah. Um, but you know… yeah. Uh, Runner Five, you see that left turn up ahead? Take that, and keep running. You’re getting close now.
SAM YAO: Okay, Runner Five. You’re almost in sight of the target now. Probably time for Maxine to fill you in on the reason she’s here.
MAXINE MYERS: It’s these children. The Major’s concerned about them, about their mental health, I should say.
SAM YAO: Yeah. Look at all of us. I mean, we’ve all dropped a few sandwiches from the picnic hamper since the apocalypse. And we’re grown-ups. How the hell do you cope with this kind of thing if you’re five?
MAXINE MYERS: Well, not well, I expect. I’m no child psychologist -
SAM YAO: No, that was the old old Runner Four. He was eaten by zoms six months ago.
MAXINE MYERS: Which means I’m the best we have left. I did a residency in pediatrics back home, and I suspect PTSD will be the least of it with these kids.
SAM YAO: Hmm. Hold on, still have visual on you, Five. There’s movement inside that discount warehouse ahead. Too far to be certain, but… yeah, steer clear. Don’t want to lead the zombies straight on to the kids. That could be… actually, I don’t even want to think about it.
MAXINE MYERS: And there’s your problem! Adults are pretty good at denial. Children? They don’t have the defense mechanisms. Everything they experience is raw.
SAM YAO: ...Did you ever want kids, Maxine? With Paula, I mean?
MAXINE MYERS: [sighs] You’re not going to let this lie, are you?
SAM YAO: No. I just don’t think it’s healthy to bottle it up.
MAXINE MYERS: Actually, I didn’t want kids. Paula did. We had a huge row about it, once. She said I was just being selfish, and that I’d make a great mom! Kind of contradictory, if you think about it. But it’s probably just as well, isn’t it? With the world as it is now. Ugh, it’s no place for children.
SAM YAO: No. I suppose not. And did you, uh -
MAXINE MYERS: Look at that, over there.
SAM YAO: Oh yeah! It’s one of those campsites, in the center of that village. Looks new - ring of stones around the campfire, holes for tent pegs – very neat. No one around. Yeah, go and check it out, Five.
ARCHIE JENSEN: Hey, Runner Five! Fancy meeting you here in this mysterious abandoned campsite on the way towards the school. They’re so interesting and strange, these camps.
SAM YAO: You arranged to meet Runner Five here, Archie. You’re going on this mission together.
ARCHIE JENSEN: I know! But I’m still pleased to see Runner Five! Alive, and also not hating Nadia anymore. You don’t hate Nadia anymore, do you?
SAM YAO: Nadia’s been reinstated. I think it was pretty big of Runner Five to not raise any objections.
ARCHIE JENSEN: Yes. Runner Five is very nice. That’s why we’re going to rescue all these children!
SAM YAO: Okay, well, you should be close to the school now. I’m losing full-grade visual. Uh, yeah – tell me what you can see.
ARCHIE JENSEN: There’s a big brown… actually, it’s more beige? Maybe cream? A big cream building, with a fence around it, and an oak tree in front. Is that it?
SAM YAO: Sounds about right. Any sign of the kids?
ARCHIE JENSEN: No. Looks very quiet from up here. Too quiet. Can I say that? “Too quiet”? If I say it, will a man in a hockey mask jump out and kill me?
SAM YAO: More likely to be a zom.
ARCHIE JENSEN: Like those zombies – the ones shambling towards us from the school gates.
[zombie groans]
SAM YAO: I don’t like the sound of that.
ARCHIE JENSEN: And the school is empty. There’s blood on the hopscotch court, and the windows are all broken. No bodies though. Maybe the zombies -
SAM YAO: Don’t say it!
ARCHIE JENSEN: Oh, oh, wait! I see two children in the playing field. But the zombies have seen them, too!
SAM YAO: You’ve got to ru-
ARCHIE JENSEN: We’re going!
SAM YAO: Report, guys! Are the kids -
ARCHIE JENSEN: Not now, please!
SAM YAO: Yeah, but are the kids -
ARCHIE JENSEN: They’re alive. They’re running. [children screaming] And the zombies are still twenty – no, it’s fifteen - oh God, the zombies are only ten paces behind them!
SAM YAO: And you?
ARCHIE JENSEN: Thirty!
SAM YAO: But they’re not fast zoms, are they? You can still catch up, can’t you? They’re only the shambling type, right?
ARCHIE JENSEN: We’re nearly… we’re nearly… oh, come on, legs! [children crying] Very heavy child.
SAM YAO: You got them!
ARCHIE JENSEN: Yes, but the zombies… too close!
SAM YAO: You can do it, guys, run!
[children crying]
CARENA: I want Jamie! Where’s Jamie?
SAM YAO: Uh, Archie, is that you?
ARCHIE JENSEN: We’ve got the children, Sam. I’ve got the - ow! Don’t bite! I’ve got the girl. The lovely little girl. What’s your name, little girl?
CARENA: I want Jamie!
ARCHIE JENSEN: Runner Five took the little boy. There. Just there!
CARENA: Where's Jamie?
MAXINE MYERS: Try and speak quietly and calmly to them, Archie.
SAM YAO: While still, well, you know, avoiding the zoms! And talking of zoms -
ARCHIE JENSEN: Yes, behind us.
MAXINE MYERS: How close?
ARCHIE JENSEN: Fifty paces now, but I’m -
CARENA: Jamie!
ARCHIE JENSEN: Runner Five is so strong. I don’t know how much longer I can -
SAM YAO: Just try, Archie. You’ve got to try!
CARENA: I want Jamie.
SAM YAO: Circle back around to the school. You should be able to barricade yourselves in there while we send help.
ARCHIE JENSEN: Yes, it’s not so far. I think we can make it. We can definitely make it.
CARENA: Jamie!
ARCHIE JENSEN: Oh!
SAM YAO: What?
ARCHIE JENSEN: There’s zombies ahead. Twenty… no, at least thirty, and -
CARENA: Jamie!
ARCHIE JENSEN: - they’re all around us, Sam! Between us and the school.
SAM YAO: Well -
MAXINE MYERS: Can you - ?
ARCHIE JENSEN: There's nothing we can do. We’re surrounded.
[zombies groaning, children crying]
Codex[]
Supplies[]
The following supplies can be found in this mission.
(List may be incomplete.)
9mm Ammo
Axe
Bandages
Baseball Bat
Batteries
Bottled Water
Box of Lightbulbs
Mobile Phone
Pain Meds
Power Cable
Radio
Shirt
Shorts
Sports Bra
Tinned Food
Tool Box
Trousers
Underwear
USB Key
Base Unlocks[]
The following objects unlock for your Base upon completing this mission.
Nursery (addon for the Hospital)
- Description: The circle of life continues, despite the apocalypse.
- Cost: 5 supplies, 1 material
- Effect: Increases max. population by 15.
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