The generator providing power to the rest of the mall was loud and smelled like a generator should, that of burning diesel fumes that escaped the gaskets and joints, or the lubricant keeping it going.  The generator wasn't meant for prolonged operation, and every unnecessary breaker had been thrown open to keep the demands low.  Sitting in a small office was Jessica Torbin, the only one of the survivors with anything close to a degree in Engineering.  The desk had become her makeshift office/bedroom, with a pile of sheets making up her bedding.<br/><br/>She stayed down here, shut away from the sight of the zombies that haunted her nightmares.  She'd seen plenty of horror movies, but those were movies.  Hell, she'd helped make a few small movies, and knew how to make decent special effects.  No, seeing the real deal and knowing that the horrid faces were actually like that, were actually chewed and gnawed on, made it perfect nightmare fuel.  So to protect her sanity, she kept herself away from the moans.  The generator was just loud enough to keep her from dwelling on it here, in her isolated sanctuary.<br/><br/>She had her small following, some of the people who'd come down to help her run the generator.  They knew she was the one with the brain, and had to keep a constant, vigilant eye on the fuel being consumed, where the power went, etc.  She had sent some of her followers with plans up to meet Susan and Duncan, who she knew were a pair of smart cookies.  She also told them to steer clear of Jack and his crazy schemes.  Her right hand girl, Dezzy, stepped up and said, "Jessica's been thinking about the water too, and said we should stay away from the sewers because of contamination.  Said we should build water purifiers out of sand and charcoal, then filter rain water and what we can get from the city systems first.  Otherwise she said we'll be able to shoot all the zombies with just the shit coming out our rear ends.  Her words."