We’re Alive: Scout’s Honor - Chapter 8 - Sink or Swim

We're Alive

In this climactic chapter, the remaining Adventure Scouts attempt a perilous escape from Catalina Island during the height of the outbreak.

Key takeaways

• Blaine executes a high-stakes distraction using fireworks and a 'freedom flyer' to lead the infected away from the group.
• Zach successfully patches into the Avalon broadcast system to manipulate the movement of the horde via speaker amps.

Main topics

• Escape from Catalina Island
• The Infected outbreak

Notable quotes

We never leave a scout behind!

Conclusion

This episode serves as a harrowing conclusion to the Catalina arc, emp

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) This production contains scenes of graphic violence and strong language, which some listeners may find offensive. Speaker 4 (0:14) Aw, man. I was kind of hoping we'd find your dad's Lamborghini in here. There's like a 20-year waiting list for island car passes on Catalina. Doesn't matter how much money you have. GCs. Speaker 3 (0:24) Aw, there you are, my old friends. I remember Speaker 4 (0:27) these. Speaker 2 (0:28) Who are G and C? Speaker 4 (0:31) Grand Crew 1 and Grand Crew 2. Speaker 2 (0:33) The golf carts? Oh, I see. The license plates. Speaker 4 (0:37) It's a wine joke. Same initials. Speaker 2 (0:40) We're going to drive golf carts through the town as our getaway vehicles? Speaker 4 (0:44) These aren't your normal electric carts. My dad bought top-of-the-line ones. They're quiet and fast. Faster than Speaker 3 (0:50) some of the cars on the island, that's for sure. Speaker 2 (0:52) Great. Okay, so now I have to learn how to drive a golf cart and a yacht. Am I the only one kind of freaking out here? Speaker 3 (1:01) Don't worry about him. It's so easy. Push and go. That's it. Speaker 2 (1:05) Yeah, maybe for you. I've never driven anything. Then I'll drive the golf cart. You worry about the yacht. Thanks, Ruby. But that's not much better. Hey, we'll figure it out together. Speaker 4 (1:17) What else do we need? I've been making a list. Food, water, weapons, walkie-talkies. Got Speaker 2 (1:23) them here. Speaker 3 (1:25) We should check on the surveillance channel. Speaker 2 (1:27) Um, testing? Speaker 3 (1:29) Jeez, Zach. Speaker 2 (1:30) Testing? Speaker 3 (1:30) For what? You got a TV in every room of this house? Even the garage? Something like that. Speaker 2 (1:35) Test. Gosh, these walkies are dead. We need to find fresh batteries if we want to use them. Speaker 4 (1:40) I'll start looking around. Speaker 2 (1:41) Wait. What is that? What? Speaker 4 (1:45) Where? Speaker 2 (1:45) In the corner of the TV security footage. The camera's showing the beach. Look at the bottom of the cliff. Those two things. Looks like seals. Speaker 3 (1:58) Those are not seals. Speaker 2 (1:59) In fact, they're on the beach below the house. What do we do? Speaker 4 (2:03) Do you think they can smell us up here? That's a pretty steep cliff. It's about, like, a couple hundred feet. I think we're safe at the moment. Speaker 2 (2:09) But it's just a matter of time. Speaker 4 (2:11) Okay, so then we're doing Speaker 3 (2:12) this now. What Speaker 4 (2:13) about the supplies list? Speaker 3 (2:14) No Speaker 4 (2:14) more Speaker 3 (2:14) time for lists. We need to go over the plan and get out of here while it's still dark. Speaker 3 (2:20) Okay, everyone eyes on the map So Zack and I will be in golf cart one and head up Wrigley Road to the broadcast tower Frankie and Ruby you'll be at the top of Wrigley Road here in your golf cart waiting for a signal We need to make sure the walkie-talkies will work. So we definitely need to find fresh batteries Of course once we clear the tower and Zack gets everything working. We'll Speaker 4 (2:40) start phase one. We use the broadcast tower to learn Speaker 3 (2:59) Found the golf clubs. Lame sport, but these should come in handy. Here, I'll go check the town one last time. Speaker 2 (3:08) I'll take this one and the putter, too. Franklin, did you find the batteries? No! I mean, an enormous mansion, full of stuff, and no batteries in the whole place. Speaker 4 (3:18) Found some. I emptied every TV remote control in the house. This should be enough. Won't be Speaker 3 (3:23) needing Speaker 4 (3:23) these anymore. I just hope they still have some power left. Speaker 2 (3:28) Nice. Here, take a club. Speaker 4 (3:31) Ah, good old nine iron. Speaker 2 (3:34) Do you see any infected with your scope? What are they doing now? Speaker 4 (3:37) It's still dark, but yeah, Speaker 3 (3:39) I could tell there are lots. Are they sleeping? It is 3 a.m. They're not as active, but mostly grouped around the town. Some are wandering, probably hunting for any survivors. Like us. Speaker 2 (3:54) And when they don't find any... Speaker 4 (3:56) Yeah. Speaker 4 (3:59) Are we ready? Everyone have all your gear? I Speaker 2 (4:02) think so. Speaker 4 (4:03) Ruby, you packed the keys to the yacht? Speaker 2 (4:05) Got them safe in my pocket. Here, Blaine, take the other walkie-talkie. Hello? Okay, good to go. Over and out. Speaker 4 (4:14) Over and out. Actually, that's a common misconception. You can just say out. The over is redundant. Okay. Speaker 2 (4:20) Anything else? Zach, you have all the stuff you need for the broadcasting? Speaker 4 (4:24) Yeah, I think so. I still have the fireworks. Speaker 2 (4:26) Those could come in handy. Speaker 4 (4:28) Or be a total fire hazard. Speaker 3 (4:30) Scorched earth, right? Set the town ablaze? Yeah, don't do that. Speaker 2 (4:34) Who's taking the rifle? Speaker 3 (4:35) I still got it. I'm getting used to this one-eye thing. Should be fine, but we only have 15 bullets left. That's it. We've got to make them count. Speaker 2 (4:45) If all goes well, we might not even need to use them. Speaker 3 (4:49) Here's hoping. Speaker 4 (4:50) Okay, here we go. Get in. Speaker 2 (4:54) Wait, um... Oh, yeah, here. I thought you had no more sweets. This is it. I've just been saving these for the right moment. Speaker 4 (5:05) Thanks. Pink Starburst. Speaker 2 (5:08) Best flavor, right, Franklin? Sure is. Speaker 2 (5:14) Ugh, I don't know if I can eat it right now. I have the worst pit in my stomach. Speaker 3 (5:19) You know what? Let's hang on to these. We'll eat them as a celebration when we're sailing away from the island on the Elysian. Speaker 2 (5:26) I like that idea. Speaker 3 (5:28) Me too. Speaker 2 (5:29) Victory candy. The sweetest kind. Speaker 3 (5:32) Now let's get the heck off this godforsaken island. Speaker 2 (5:35) Right when you are, Captain. Speaker 3 (5:37) Now you're just making fun of my eye injury. Speaker 2 (5:39) Wait, no. I thought you liked it. Remember back at the bus? And you are basically our... Arr, Speaker 3 (5:45) just messing with you, Frankie. Love the nickname. Speaker 2 (5:48) Oh, brother. Speaker 4 (5:51) Well, let's cast off then. Speaker 2 (6:02) See you at the yacht. Speaker 4 (6:04) Remember, wait for the first signal at the top of Wrigley Road. Speaker 2 (6:08) Okay, we'll head down in five minutes. Give you to a head start. Speaker 4 (6:12) All right. See you soon. Be safe, guys. Speaker 2 (6:15) Bye. Bye. Mom, watching Zach and Blaine drive off, my stomach was literally in my throat. I didn't know if I was going to puke or pass out. Then, Ruby's small, soft hand held mine, and a warmth rushed through my entire body like a reassuring wave. I can't believe we were about to embark on a dangerous, ridiculous, epic escape. I mean, none of us ever said it out loud, but if any single part of this goes wrong, we could all... Speaker 2 (7:08) I can't imagine my life right now without Blaine, Zack, and Ruby. And I know this is what we have to do. Speaker 1 (7:31) We're Alive, Scout's Honor. Written by Elisa Elliott and K.C. Whelan. Chapter 8, Sink or Swim. You Speaker 2 (8:28) ready? I'm scared. Me too. Lucy. Lucy? Are you okay? It's me, Ruby. I know this is really, really stressful and scary, but it's... No. Lucy. That's what the L stands for. My middle name. Remember? I thought I was going to have to torture it out of you. I just... I don't... I just wanted you to know before all this. Thanks for telling me. And trusting me. Speaker 2 (9:14) Okay, let's go Franklin Lucy Devin. Hey, no, don't go tell anyone else. Okay, it's a secret. We'll see about that When we make it out of this whole thing Oh shut up Come on, let's go. Speaker 4 (9:49) How's it looking? Okay, so far Infected group over there. Speaker 3 (9:59) Think we can get by unnoticed? Speaker 4 (10:00) It's pretty dark and they're upwind so they won't smell us but sure a lot of them Speaker 3 (10:07) Oh, do Speaker 4 (10:08) you see Speaker 3 (10:08) that? Speaker 4 (10:09) That Speaker 3 (10:09) big one has a huge spike growing out of its back. Oh, wait. It's just a giant cacti that stuck to him. I Speaker 4 (10:16) feel like I saw that one back at the airport. I think you're right. And it doesn't look like it's affecting him at all. Fascinating. More like frightening. Just keep going really quietly. Shit! The wind must have shifted! Drive! Speaker 4 (10:42) Floor it! They're gaining on Speaker 3 (10:43) us! I am! Just watch the road for me! Speaker 4 (10:46) One of them is really fast! Car! I Speaker 3 (10:49) just hope it's not the big-ass spiky one. Speaker 4 (10:53) Of course it's Speaker 3 (10:54) the big-ass Speaker 4 (10:54) spiky one! You want the gun? With all your seribia, I'd miss for sure. I got something better. Just focus on driving. We're almost there. Can't this thing go any faster? We're going uphill! I really wish we had an actual car right about now. What's happening? Speaker 4 (11:15) I got it, but the backseat is gone! We Speaker 3 (11:18) didn't need that anyway. Speaker 4 (11:19) A sharp corner, hold on! Look, the tower! We're almost there! Spikey's grabbed on! Speaker 2 (11:27) And Speaker 4 (11:27) I can't reach it! Try to shake it off! Its cactus is caught up on the bag holder! And you can't hit it? Not with a nine iron! Use the rifle! Fine! Speaker 4 (11:40) 14. Miss, I told you, stop swerving! Just hold him up for one more second, we're almost there! I gotta reload. Speaker 3 (11:46) It's grabbing the gun! Let go! Shoot it again! 13. I blew off part of his hand, but Speaker 4 (11:55) it's still holding on the back of the car! This is it, we're here! Run for the door! Is he behind us? He's still stuck on the golf cart. The other ones are catching up, though. It's unlocked, get inside! Lock it. Done. This should hold. Speaker 4 (12:19) Gotta love government-issue fire doors. That was too close. Speaker 3 (12:24) Yeah. But we made it. Oh no. Speaker 2 (12:33) Something's in here. Speaker 3 (12:35) This is not going well so far. You think? I hope Ruby and Frankie are doing better