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Oh LLA, you are a cruel bitch. You doth rear your ugly head and before we know it another one bites the dust. How do I let you all know of this death? It is hard to explain and even harder to say. This character is dear to our hearts, we love this character, this character has been through so much and yet has kept trucking. This character has lost loved ones. This character has had no time to mourn. This character.... Oh you sweet thing.

See how I am dragging this out? Yeah, because we need filler space; especially since I am holding my Zoie post for now thanks to the LLA Death Roll. This brings our toll up to 7, lucky seven.... How lucky can it be? Let's hope it is the last one for a while. Anywho....

Meg is trying to get the armory like all the rest and the Walkers are everywhere. The group keeps moving forward and suddenly a Walker grabs Meg from behind, his jaws threatening to turn her into a happy meal... That is when things go wrong but not for Meg. Caesar is able to get back with the group and as he is dispatching of said Happy Meal Wanter himself gets bit on the back of the neck/shoulder area.

So there it is... There is nothing you can do. He isn't dead yet but he might as well be. (Don't kill the fucker yet though, this is in the hands of Sigil to how gloriously this Mad Mexican goes down.)

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Ash became a creature of method. He led his people forward, ever forward, though they had to fight hard for every step. Their path opened up somewhat, thanks to the efforts of their Resident Badass, Caesar. But there were so many of the Dead inside their walls, and their own numbers kept getting getting shaved off by the margins.

They were about to break through; they could see the end. The largest concentration of Dead Ones lay around the downed Edenite, who had since ceased screaming. Tearing sounds came quieter and with less frequency from the knot of consuming flesh, though, and the ones milling about the edges seemed to grow bored with the scene. A few noticed the group of live, warm bodies passing by.

They had just met in the middle with Caesar, who was busy hacking apart another animated corpse. This one wore dirty, faded coveralls with a name stitched on the left breast pocket; in life the corpse was called Gus, apparently. Gus went down like a drunken prom date, and the intimidating Mexican joined up with his people, fighting their way to the Armory.

Ash looked to the venerable warrior and nodded. "Thanks, Jefe. You good?"

Caesar looked to the younger man and made a noise that wasn't quite a laugh, and wasn't quite a growl. He squared up, facing toward their destination, and uttered with a low voice, "Lead the way, Capitán."

Then their day got considerably worse.

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One silenced shot after another whispered out from the clocktower, most of which very expediently parted undead skulls, laying them back to rest. In truth, James wished he could do more, but the fact was that with Alicia gone, he was the most qualified to take the tower. His best bet for helping the people below was to stay put and continue raining silent lead on the scene.

James raised his eye from the scope for a second, getting a wide view of his field of fire. From his vantage point, he spotted something in the distance that damn near made him soil himself. Something the people on the ground couldn't see yet. He scrambled for his walkie and smashed the talk button down with fervored urgency.

"Uh, guys? GUYS! Goddamn herd coming 'round the Armory! Go, y'all! Go! Go!"

Attention focused on their twelve, no one noticed the lone, particularly corpulent carcass edging in toward Meghna.

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No one except Caesar.

Even he was almost caught unawares, up until the last second. The plodding, massively overweight corpse reached out its gnarled hands, bone showing in places with an incomplete set of filthy, yellowed fingernails. It gurgled quietly, drooling out oily, black foam, teeth bared in anticipation of Indian cuisine.

This would not do.

For a short second, Caesar saw his daughter's features on the slender girl. He knew she died a horrible, flesh ripping death, and hoped to spare this good, gentle woman the same fate. No one deserved to die like that. Well, a few people did deserve to die like that, in Caesar's estimation, but Meg was not among that number.

He reacted with speed nurtured by a lifetime of mortal engagements, shoving himself in between Meg and the handsy cadaver. Dear God, this one was massive. In life, he must have been a longtime competitive eater, or a certified shut-in with the pizza guy, Szechuan Palace, and Bob's House of Deep-Fried Butter on speed dial. In death, the fat bastard had its hands on Meg, and Caesar wasn't having it.

Set in full Attack Mode, Caesar dipped in low batted one gory hand away with his machete, keeping both from gripping. A quick vertical slash lopped off the other one, its fingers grasping a handful of Meghna's shirt. The severed hand relaxed and dropped to the ground, rolling off to the side with the middle finger extended. A portent, certainly. Caesar kept up the attack, slamming his fist into the creature's face, and shoving with the entirety of his weight. Not his finest display of martial art, but the object was to move the thing back without it falling on its intended victim, preferably without the noise of a gunshot.

Slowly, laboriously, Caesar fought it back. After a few seconds, he spun deftly to the side and hacked its knee out from under its bloated torso. The blubbery, rotten corpse fell to the ground with a juicy, skin-splitting splat, leaking liquefied fat and various ichors onto the street in the shadow of the building next to them both. It was unable to right itself, unable to move with any determination that made it particularly threatening; at least in comparison to the more mobile dead people in the area.

Caesar took a deep breath, turned a machete to an underhand grip, and drove it into the fat, dead man's skull.

An odd scraping noise barely registered in his hearing from somewhere above, almost completely drowned out by the general noise of a horde occupying his home. He raised an eyebrow and turned a glance up, and immediately wished he was standing anywhere else but in that one spot. A body, or rather the top half a of body, clawed its way over the side of the roof to Caesar's immediate right. Silent in its descent, it was unerring in its path toward the elder bladesman and landed on him heavily.

Caesar was blindsided. He had nowhere to go but forward and down, which he did with the utmost of reluctance. Dripping, fetid teeth tore into the back of his neck before he could react, gnawing and salivating foul fluids into the fresher wetness of Caesar's blood. He was dead. No matter what happened next, the old man was dead. And that really pissed him off.

The thing had a hard grip on both shoulders. Shaking it off just wasn't gruesome enough for Caesar's tastes right now. Instead, he flipped himself over, on top of the half-an-asshole that had killed him. Much resembling a suicide king, El Jefe righted a machete and flexed his bicep mightily, driving the blade into the monster's temple and twisting until it lay still beneath him. He stood. People were staring, people he knew with certainty that he cared about. People he cared about that were in danger.

A sense of calm washed over him, strange and comforting all at once. He felt an odd freedom, knowing he was going to die. Like everything unimportant washed away; all the anger, all the ego. The petty matters that once plagued him as important were shed, as he let go of everything holding him to all of his negativity.

The group was in a clear spot now, but they soon wouldn't be. Caesar walked over to Ash with genuine warmth and just a little regret in his eyes. "Thank you for taking care of Alicia, Ashton. I would have been proud, very proud to call you my son." He gripped Ash's hand, looking him square in the eye, and nodded, expressing with his face what his words could not. He respected the man, and was grateful to have him in his life as well as his daughter's.

Ash's stone exterior cracked just a bit, allowing tears to form. A single one welled enough to spill onto his cheek as he looked upon this wholly intimidating man; a man he had avoided conversations with, a man that (presumably) wiped his ass with sandpaper and pissed two-penny nails. He looked upon him with regret of moments lost, the possibility of family. Now the old man was dying, just as surely as the coming night and the dawn after, he was a dead man.

"No. Now's not the time. I'll be ok, Ashton. At the end of this, I'm going to be with M'hija. First, we've got jobs to do. You get these people to the Armory. Make this place safe. I'll take point."

Caesar looked to Ash's machete, smiled just a little, and held out a hand. Without an ounce of reluctance, the younger man surrendered the weapon, knowing it would be put to good use. It was a little shorter than Caesar's favored ones, but no doubt he could use it with equal proficiency. And it was apparent that he was going to. Caesar, El Jefe, Papi - the Ex-Federale, Former Mercenary, Private Security CEO, waded into the approaching Horde. He set Ash's blade in his teeth, and he began to dance. It was a beautiful and terrible dance to behold.

This was the point to his life. This moment, this battle. The training, the killing, the reason why he maintained his physicality into advancing years - it all led to his actions NOW. Caesar's hands moved faster than unaided human reckoning could follow. He was juggling three blades in an all-out effort to cause as much carnage as possible, long hair flowing behind him like a scarf in strong, ever changing wind, trying to keep up with the elder badass's footwork.

He cleaved the legs from one, launching a front kick into the ribcage of another. It fell back against several more, buying him the time to sheathe his blade in the first one's skull. It remained there, upright, as the brutal Mexican halted a bite at his throat with the machete held in his teeth. A quick neck twist opened the Walker's jaw wider and headbutted it to the ground, where Jefe's bootheel stomped it into the Great Beyond. He replaced the skull-bound machete with Ash's, and spun a series of heads in half with a sustained offensive figure eight maneuver, making the air around him perilous for any reaching pieces of hand or face.

He widened his stance and got low as he pushed forward. It wasn't enough to get to the Armory. He had to move slowly enough to kill every last one of those rotting cocksmokes that stood to overpower his friends, following in his wake of blood and bile. One blade ascends while the other descends, the third immediately hurled into the face of another. Before it drops, Caesar was already there, yanking it free and embedding it deeply into the skullcap of another. Hands and legs were removed. Undead faces split down the middle. Torsos ripped open, making the path slippery for the ones behind it. Limbs flew into the air with the wild abandon of a man composing a frenzied salad or digging through garbage for a winning lottery ticket. Corrupted flesh exploded upon impact of knuckle, bone, and steel. Caesar created art, the composition being a hellish performance piece PLUS a rabid impressionist painting of Open Air Autopsy in redscale upon the ground. This was his masterpiece of violence, motivated by raw, unyielding love. This was his greatest moment on Earth.

It was his Swan Song, and it sounded an awful lot like "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor".

Laying on the ground far behind the scene, Dexter's body soiled itself.

"THAT, my friends, is a Hordebuster." whispered Ash, following behind the truly inspired Caesar. He gripped his large, knuckle duster knife in one hand, also supporting the barrel of his carbine. Though his finger was on the trigger, he maintained mopping up any of Caesar's leftovers with the blade; the gun was purely for more lively opponents. He wasn't sure when one may pop their head out of a door or window, and wished to be prepared.

After what seemed hours, but was likely only a few minutes' time, Caesar had opened a proper hole to the Armory. Tom (remember that guy?) stood ready to fling the doors open and get to business as Ash shuffled everyone through the door, Caesar providing cover from the few that remained close enough to take notice. To his credit, Ash looked to Caesar and nodded his head to the door, insisting that he be the last one inside.

"I'm no good to anyone in there. But they need you. We got one more coming, I'll make sure she gets in. Go."

After hacking two more down, Caesar got a little breathing room, enough to begin tossing his equipment through the Armory door. He unbuckled his shotgun harness and shrugged off his bandoleer of shells, followed by his .45 pistol. After dispatching yet another Walker, his collection of knives followed. Then Ash's blade. Then his leather vest. Caesar retained his trademark machetes, as there was one more task left to him. But this one, he would require help.

Sure enough, help was on the way. A somewhat familiar form could be spotted moving toward them in the distance. It was Zoie, and she was looking rough but it could have been worse. Stepping with purpose to get back to the group now that Cletus had been dealt with in the same manner one would a snake; her kukri dripping with the remains of Walkers. This surely was not the day she had had in mind when she awoke but no one really got to plan out their days anymore.

The group, minus the Whirling Bandito, had already made their way into the armory at this point. Many of the walkers had been dispatched with extreme prejudice and the bodies lay in various pieces on the ground like some scene from the Boboli Gardens, only juicy. Spotting Caesar near the back entrance to the armory Zoie quickened her pace, dispatching a Biter as her blade cut through its skull from behind as she passed and sent the top spinning to the ground as the body dropped.

Getting to him, Zoies brow arched as she noted the blood on his shoulder and she gritted her teeth. This was not a way for someone to go down. A bite that only left them knowing that there was no hope and nothing left for tomorrow. "Yeah, I'm bit." She simply nodded, there really wasn't much to discuss at this point. He knew what he was in for, everyone did in this day and age. There was not getting around it. There was nothing anyone would do at that point. She reached out and rested her hand on his shoulder, giving him a look that was anything but pity and everything that was respect. "Alright darlin', let's be gettin' this over with then," she said in her thick Georgia twang.

"You've earned your place here. They're good people, a family. They'll understand." Zoie took a step as she pulled herself closer and gave the man a a bit of a hug. Who cared if she was covered in blood and guts or that he was. In her mind the man at least deserved a little bit of comfort before the inevitable came. Releasing him she stepped back, twirling her kurki and shoving them into their sheaths at her back.

"Don't you be frettin' none. Ol' Mama will keep them safe as she can until there ain't a breath left in me." she said in reassuring voice as she pulled out her Beretta and and pulled the hammer back.

"No! Don't waste a bullet on me. Besides, live by the sword, right? Let's do this." Zoie tilted her head to the side as he spoke. Dropping the hammer back into place and holstering her sidearm. If he didn't want the bullet, he wouldn't get it. Few these days were able to chose their death, she had to honor the request."When you're done, give these to Ash. He'll understand."

He handed his machetes over to the newcomer and tilted his head up to expose his throat. "You make this clean, and you finish it after. Do not let me turn. Understand?" Reaching out she took his machetes and gave them a quick once over, running each blade along her thighs to get as much of the remains of others from them. Cleanliness was next to Godliness, well maybe not anymore, but hey he was about to meet his maker; might as well.

"I be understanin' papi." With that Zoie did what she had to and gave the man a quick and clean death. His own blades cutting through the flesh as if it were butter. She sighed as watched the blood flow.

His last thought, before the blood loss rendered him unconscious, was of his girl Alicia. "M'hija..." He closed his eyes and saw no more of this world, passing from it with a smile on his lips. He died a warrior's death, cleanly, and without regret.

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Zoie watched the legend fall into sweet oblivion and let out a shaky breath; it didn't ever seem to matter how long it had been since the end of the world, how little you knew someone. When you watched them end by your own hand because of the choice they made, the final dying wish you fulfilled, it was never easy and it never got any easier. In a weird way she hoped it never would; it was a sign to her that there was at least still humanity left in this god forsaken place they called Earth. As his body slumped to the ground Zoie caught him and leaned him back against the wall of the alleyway, brushing his hair back slightly. He looked... Happy. Batting her eyes to dry the threatening tears away she took his head in one arm, pulling to her shoulder and smoothly inserted the blade of his machete into the base of his skull. He would not return as one of the abominations that had taken him from this group.

Rising she secured each machete on either hip through her belt and moved some of the large garbage units around the back door of the armory just in case they needed to get back out that way and there was another swarm drawn in. Looking up she tilted her head to the side as she took note of something before placing her hand on the door and swinging it open, stepping inside and letting it close hard behind her. She looked at the remaining people. There was the driver Meg, some other guy she didn't know Tom, and then there was the leader Ash. Pulling the machetes from her belt and held them out to him.

"He be at peace now hun, I made sure he felt no pain." Her voice was soft, kind, and the look in her eyes clearly showed that it hurt even her. "He said you be family here. So let's do what family do. Slaughter every last one of them mother fuckers who dared take one away from us," she said in a cold trembling voice as her eyes glistened, letting him take the fallen mans trademark weapons from her hands. "Right?" she asked looking at Meg and Tom. "We do it for him, for the others. Like papi would be doin' if it had been you out there."

"Damn straight we will," Tom said as he pushed a clip into the pistol he was holding and loaded it into place. Taking a step back she ruffled the back of her hair up and looked around at the armory. They seemed well enough armed but several things caught her eye as she remembered what she saw outside. Biting her bottom lip she went over to a shelf and ran her fingers over somethings. "Only be a few of us left and a lot of fuckwardery out there. If you be willin' Ol' Zoie Mama gots her an idea to clear a path for you three." Looking over towards Ash she gave a bit of a devious Georgia Peach smile, the type that crawled across southern girls lips usually right before they uttered a Bless yer heart or a Aww hell naw.

"I'sa gonna cause one hell of a ruckas to makes a distraction while yous three load up and get the hell out of dodge. Y'all starts a clearnin' out buildings and I'll make sure to keep them Eaters off your asses and give them tower folks of yers a chance to do some good." Grabbing several flashbang grenades, some molotov cocktails, a roll of duct tape, the M27, and the Flamethrower. Stuffing what she could into a pack and slinging the rest over her shoulder she looked back over to Ash, Meg and Tom. "So what's ya say Boss? Gonna let country girl cause some hell and be bait whilst y'all go on a cleaning spree?"

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Maria looked down towards the group below as they started to get closer and closer towards the armory, when she noticed a Walker was about to grab Meg, but was soon relived that Caesar had managed to step in. But then she noticed another walker come up behind him and bit the man, and knew the location of the bite wouldn't have done anything to save him. Maria bit her lower lip for a moment and then watched the massive Mexican slowly cutting his way towards the armory, she took aim and fired an arrow at a walker that was further away from the rest of the group. And then fired another and watched it fly into the back of the head of another, and then the side of another the bodies of the two dead walkers fell to the ground.

When the group finally made it to the armory Maria was both relieved and saddened as well losing two of their own just trying to make it across the street to gather weapons and ammo to fight back the walkers and the remaining Edenians. Once everyone had finally made it in Maria relaxed somewhat but remained focused on the streets below, her eyes slowly went towards Lorna once more and then the body of Caesar just as Zoie prevented him from turning. Maria remained very quiet focusing on the roads trying to look into the buildings for any form of movement. "That could have gone better.." Maria said softly as she looked towards James for a second letting out a sigh.

Kristina awkwardly started dragging their unconscious prisoner slowly down the hallway of the upper floors once she had reached the stores Kris quickly kicked the unconscious Edenian down the stairs causing some loud thuds going down until he landed on the floor. Breathing heavily Kristina started dragging him towards the infirmary doors and unlocked it, her eyes looking towards Richard and instantly gave him the finger. "Got a new Christmas present for you doc. Gift wrapped for ya and everything." Kristina said as she then looked towards the body of Vivian, she didn't know the woman at all but had a feeling that she was an important person here and Maria might have known her pretty well. Kristina leaned herself up against a wall and looked towards Richard once more seeing the number that they had done to him earlier but didn't say anything to him.

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One minute Meg was smiling in the direction of Caesar, the next she was grabbed. She never realised there was still one more stumbling behind her - possibly following her since she'd taken the weapons off the dead Marine. Her voice caught in her throat and her body stiffened. Was this the end? Was she going to die before she could even help Ash get to the armoury?

Time didn't go slow, not for Meg. She felt every second ticking by as she stood in shock waiting for the eventual bite. She couldn't even tell what the bastard looked like, she couldn't even curse the fucker that was about to kill her.

But, the bite never really came. Instead, Caesar -- Newnan's guardian Angel -- sliced off the bastard's hand before punching it straight in the face. Trust Caesar to punch a fucking zombie in the face. It was as if Meghna's legs finally got the message and she stumbled forward, away from Caesar and the walker as she clutched uselessly on the machete she'd taken from Lorna.

Meg felt useless as she watched Caesar fight off the bastard with brute stength. She helped, but it probably wasn't worth very much because some asshole landed on him from the top, crushing him to the ground and taking a chunk of his neck with him. The killing machine was down, and Meg couldn't help him out. A strangled cry escaped her lips as the situation dawned on her.

First Alicia, then Leann and now Caesar? The three people most important to Newnan's survival were... gone. There were probably many more from Newnan that were gone too, but to see Caesar go down right in front of her? The person she absolutely believed would take down the entire world before going down himself? Her stomach turned, and Meghna refused the urge to vomit as she realised that no one was safe. Not even the most badass characters survive, despite being the best.

...Yet despite being bit, Caesar's last action was to help them get to the armoury. It was truly beautiful to watch the man hack everything to death, despite how sick that sounded. He was dying, yet he wasn't going to sit around waiting for death's kiss to relieve him from this fucked up world. Meg's heart broke, wishing that she never avoided him before all of this.

They stumbled into the armoury, Caesar remaining outside -- waiting for Zoie, most likely -- as Meghna threw what ever weapon she had collected from Lorna (except for Leann's blade and Lorna's katana) to the ground. Her heart raced and her stomach turned, and she tiredly pressed the heel of her palm into her eyes before wondering "Are we ever going to get out of this alive?" without realising she'd spoken out loud.

"Only be a few of us left and a lot of fuckwardery out there. If you be willin' Ol' Zoie Mama gots her an idea to clear a path for you three." Did Zoie really just suggest that? Meg's hands moved from her eyes down to her side as she stared at the cowgirl incredulously. Their resident killing machine was dead and she wanted to act as bait?!

But there was nothing else that Meg could do. Meg wasn't strong enough to offer any of her killing services; Maria had that job covered. She couldn't even drive around because there were probably some trigger happy snipers ready to shoot out some more tires (and brains) around. Meg reluctantly nodded in the direction of Zoie, unable to say anything.

She wanted to thank the country girl for doing all this for Newnan. Despite being a newbie, she was ready to lay down her life for Newnan. It was admirable and Meg wante to cry with relief. But instead, all she could do was nod hesitantly as she grabbed a couple throwing knives, along with two hand guns with a few extra rounds, waiting for Ash's verdict.

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Kris did have a point, Sidd realised. The man was bleeding but all Sidd could see was an asshole that would undeservingly use up their medicine, their resources. The fucker didn't deserve it, but if they were successful in making him squeal, then maybe it would be worth it.

Maybe. The fucker still deserved death via cactus.

He helped Kris drag the intruder out of the room, their strength just enough to drag him to the med room. Kris unlocked the door as Sid held tightly onto the intruder's arms to keep him in place.

Inside was definitely not what Sid expected, nor what he had hoped for either. Inside was the Doctor-man that Sidd had seen before with Caesar. Caesar was missing from the room and there was another guy that looked like he was beaten half an inch from death. And going by Kris's rude gesture towards said beaten up dude, it was probably her (and some others seeing as Kris didn't look exactly strong enough to take that man on her own) that was the cause of his injuries. And the worst of all? Vivian was lying dead on the slab.

They couldn't save her...

"H-how long?" He asked the doc, staring at her body nervously. Did he cause her death? Did he do something wrong when he tried to help, or did they run out of aid?

Fuck... The doc was dead and possibly many other innocent Newnan residents... And the one person that could she them was gone too.

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Finally, after so much death, they mad it into the Armory. It was a matter of three, maybe four hours since Ash had seen "Armory Tom", but it seemed like days. Their group was whittled down to two people (three if you count Zoie), not quite the Building Clearing Team he was hoping for; nonetheless they were about to be the best equipped group in the area, hands-down.

Ash's brain fought valiantly to maintain his cold, militaristic demeanor. Perhaps moreso because of Caesar's encouragement. In a million years, he never expected to hear kind words from the man. Knowing that his time was up, his last thoughts were for others. Well, goddamnit, he wasn't going to have died for nothing.

Nonetheless, this was a very tight spot, and this concrete concern was voiced very succinctly by Meg, "Are we ever going to get out of this alive?"

At this time Zoie entered, bearing El Jefe's machetes. Her grave look matched his own, and he understood. Leave it to the baddest man on the planet to request a death worthy of Valhalla. Not that he ever let on that he believed in it, but it was a hell of a way to take that final exit. Just in case the Vikings were right, it seemed like the prudent thing to cover your bases with a proper passing, worthy of warrior women descending from the sky to carry your spirit away to a place of beating and booze. When it was Ash's time, he hoped he had the courage to take the same route.

Ashton regarded Zoie's words concerning family. Caesar's words, really. Did the old man suspect that his words coming through her would carry weight, bind them together? Maybe it was to ensure that a skilled fighter would remain in their presence, at least for a bit longer. Either way, all they had was each other just then. Each other, and a metric fuckton of small arms around them. Ash addressed Meg first.

"Hell yes, we're going to get out of this alive, Meg. And we're going to kill every last one of those sons of bitches out there. You, me, Mistress Stabby over here, and this town. It's time we mobilized Newnan."

The motivated Captain accepted the elder warrior's blades reverently and set them with the rest of his gear. Maybe he'd establish a memorial of some kind. Maybe he'd put the equipment back into general service. No reason for good weapons to go unused, but if ever there were sharp objects that deserved to be retired... well, it was a thought for another time. Right now, it was time to fit himself into full Riot Armor and re-up his ammunition. As he geared up, he addressed Zoie:

"Yeah, we are a family here. If you want in on the dysfunction and awkward Thanksgiving meals, sure. I guess you've earned it. We're going to use your plan, Cousin Zō. Two things: The both of you are packing armor, you and Meg. The most you're comfortable in. And Meg, if you would please, fill a duffel with as many weapons as you can. We're picking up reinforcements on the way, and I want our folk armed. Tom, you're holding this building. If you don't know them, they don't get in. We good?"

Ash strapped on his helmet, becoming a vision of ballistic acrylic and matte authoritarian armor, punctuated by several nonstandard items of varying degrees of lethality. He procured a belt of flashbang grenades, extra clips, and chambered a fresh round into his carbine.

"So, Country Girl - How's about you raise some Hell while we go on a cleaning spree?"

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"Aww bless yer heart, but don't you be fretin' none over Ol' Mama Zoie. Where's I be, that clunky dunk stuff y'all be callin' armor only be slowing me down. If's I be gettin' bit then you can say yous told me so, if not then you be owin' me a drink. Now, wait fer the signal," Zoie chuckled as she hefted off the bag she had stuff full and out the back door she went. There was a crowd of walkers trying to get to Caesars body but the dumpsters had done the job; keeping them away from the fallen mans body and keeping the back door clear for her. Tossing the bag up onto the top of a dumpster she climbed up. Grabbing the bag she hoisted it on her shoulder and grabbed the bottom rung of the roof access ladder; moving quickly and scurrying to the top.

Once on the roof she looked around, the roof was clear so that at least was one thing working to her advantage. Stepping over to the side of the building towards the back corner closest to the Court house she placed her fingers against the side of her mouth and gave an ear piercing whistle before waving her hands in the air. "Mr. James! You be gettin' ready to rain down hell!" she yelled as she cupped her hands around her mouth and pointed to the open area of the road between her and the tower.

Dropping the bag she pulled out the duct tape, several flash grenades and one standard. She Jerry-rigged the four together and stood up, turning on the flame thrower and readying it. "Big badda boom," she chuckled as she pulled the pins on the grenades and tossed them into the air towards the open spot she had pointed towards. Grasping the flame thrower she set it off and ignited the streamers of duct tape hanging from the "Zoie Bomb." Dropping to her knee as she turned her back to what was about to happen she covered her ears.

Then it happened, it went boom. The grenade went off as well as the flash ones. It caused one hell of a firework show in the air. The fire lit duct tape set off the flash powder that was raining in the air. "I do love me a good fireworks display. Look just like the 4th of July," she laughed as she stood up and dropped the flame thrower. Looking around she smirked as she watched it have the effect she wanted. The Walkers that were either munching on the remains of the fallen or wandering around turned their heads at the noise and the flash in the sky and began to make their towards the source. Dumping out the bag she popped the fuel tank of the flame thrower and soaked the bag fully before tossing it off the side of the building and letting it fall into still burning mass of duct tape that was now on the street between the court house and the armory. It caught fire and the Walkers kept heading towards the warm, moving, pretty light.

"Time to clean house," She said as she unshouldered the rifle she had grabbed from the armory and took point as she began to take aim and fire off round after round. Dropping Walker after walker. "That's for Miss," she said as she dropped one coming towards the bonfire, referring to Leanna. "That be for Iron Fist," she said squeezing the trigger, thinking of Lorna as another dropped. "And that be for Papi," she added as yet another dropped. It didn't take long for most of the streets to be pretty clear, only a few staggering about here and there, ones caught on things mostly. Ash and Meg should be able to start working their ways through the buildings now.

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Mama Zoie has caused one hell of a ruckus and the Walkers attention is drawn towards the bright light, the loud noises and the now burning bonfire in the middle of the street between the courthouse and the armory. There are still some walkers off in the streets but was once a hoard is now a few stragglers here and there. The front door of the armory is clear as the Walkers are gathering in one point, being set aflame as they get close to the fire. Zoie keeps tossing the occasional Zoie Bomb into the air to keep them distracted.

Some Newnanites are at their windows looking out and trying to see what is going on. You have people making a break for the armory for weapons or towards the court house injured and needing medical attention. Time to clean house Newnan. There are still Edenites out there, roughly half a dozen of them between the buildings, in the streets trying to make a break for the armory hoping they will just be passed off as one of the new comers and even two headed towards the court house. You are clear this round, move, move!

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Maria looked over across the street while the others were getting themselves ready and suited up to clean up Newnan she noticed Zoie one of the new people that was recruited from the run earlier she saw her holding a bag. Maria could see her jerry rigging something together, and watched the southern woman as she started to make a homemade bomb of sorts, once Zoie had finished it Maria watched her tossing it into the air. Then several seconds later there was a rather loud bang, it was their chance to distract the walkers, as Zoie started to open up on them once she had tossed the flamethrower away. Maria quickly reached for the radio as she started to see some people making a break towards the armory. "Ashton, i'm heading over towards you to help out I see several others making their way towards the armory just a heads up." Maria said.

Maria looked towards James for a moment. "I'm gonna go help out, just watch my back." Maria said as she slung her bow over her shoulder and gave him a pat on the back. Maria gave him a quick smile as she quickly headed down the ladder from the watch tower back down to the room down below. Maria reached over towards her M-16 she had taken earlier on the run that they had never gotten around to, she checked the ammo on it and made sure that it was in working order.

Kristina heard the explosion going off, and quickly made her way towards the door seeing her sister was getting her rifle ready. "Mar, whats going on?" Kris asked as she made her way towards the window to see the hoard of walkers approaching what looked like a bonfire going off. Maria took off her quiver and checked her arrows she only had three left before turning her attention towards her younger sister, she thought about telling her what happened to Lorna but right now wasn't the best time to mention it. "I'm going to go help outside." Maria said as she eyed Dick from within the infirmary and glared at him, she wasn't comfortable leaving her sister alone with him.

"Well let me go with you then, strength in numbers right?" Kris said, feeling a hand gently resting on her shoulder and looked up at her Maria slowly shook her head. "No I need you here and hold down the fort here. Sidd back there would need your help, we have people coming here and he knows some of them just close the door behind me okay?" Maria asked Kristina looked up at her older sister for a moment she wanted to be more useful then sitting around and do nothing in here. "Alright..." Kristina said reluctantly as they both made their way towards the gated door.

Already Maria could see at least two that she didn't recognize, they both quickly opened the gate and the door and fired two quick bursts from her M-16 sending the two Edenians to the ground. She quickly turned around and hugged Kris one last time looking down at her. "I'll be back soon alright?" Kristina nodded slowly as she backed up and closed the gates behind her.

Maria turned around she looked around luckily the walkers were still distracted by the Zoie bombs, she quickly made a run straight across the street and towards the truck. She looked down at Lorna's body and kneeled down in front of her, she quickly took Lorna's dog tags off of her neck and gently kissed Lorna's body on the forehead. "I wish I could have protected you.." Maria said quietly as she took off her leather jacket and laid it over her friend's upper body and made her run towards the armory.

Kristina watched through the window she couldn't see what her sister was doing, she quickly turned around and ran into the armory and looked towards Sidd. "Yo Siddy, we are gonna have some company. I don't know anyone here and need your help to let people in or not." Kris said and turned to look at Victor. "You might be having some more patients." Kristina said as she quickly headed towards the main room once more to wait for Sidd.

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Victor and Richard had spent the last twenty minutes playing I-spy and Victor was currently leading by 32 points. “I still say that you have an unfair advantage since we’re in your home turf, Frogster!” Richard shifted his numbing backside on the gurney that he was laying on and sat himself up a little straighter.

Victor moved forward and quickly fluffed Richard’s pillow before he could object. Sitting back down, Victor glanced over to the door as three unfamiliar faces entered the room. Clearly he hadn’t barricaded the door well enough. Richard’s face tensed up when he saw Kris and some other Indian looking fucker man handling a hogtied dude into the room.

“Hey , you not had your fill of roughing up men today? Gotta get your kicks somewhere, right?!” His face sneered as he spat his words out at her, he was feeling far less guilty than he was when Lorna was turning him into a tenderised lump of meat.

Victor placed a hand on Richard’s shoulder and looked down at him, shaking his head with a frown on his face. Richard shrugged and laid back on the gurney, his eyes glaring at Kris the entire time. Victor let out a relieved breath as Richard stepped down from his verbal attack on the girl. He couldn’t imagine this small, young girl doing anything to hurt a fly never mind a full grown man.

“Merci, mademoiselle.” He looked towards the young man then and looked over to the open door to the operating room where Vivian’s unanimated body lay. Victor quickly strode over to the doors and closed them over. “A while. Do not worry, she will not turn. I took care of that.” He sighed and removed his glasses from his face, pinching the bridge of his nose before rubbing his weary eyes.

Placing his glasses back onto his nose, Victor looked over to Sidd and gave him a sympathetic smile. “I am sorry for your loss, monsieur.” Victor moved over to Richard’s bedside once again and picked up the chair before moving it over to an empty space away from the doors but near to where Richard was laying that wasn’t right beside him. Victor walked back over to Kris, Sidd and his new patient.

“Could you help me moving this waste pile, young man?” He looked to Sidd as he hooked an arm under the prisoner’s, motioning for Sidd to do the same. They moved him over to the chair that Victor had placed down. “Thank you for your help.” Richard watched from his spot on the bed and gripped the handle of his shotgun tightly when he heard the door opening to the infirmary again. Richard’s face was looking like fizz when he saw Maria entering. He gave her as dark a glower as she gave him. He said nothing to Maria though.

Looking up, Victor saw another young woman entering that looked strikingly similar to the current young lady that was here currently. Victor stood upright and kept a foot on the bullet wound on the prisoner’s leg, making him scream in pain. He looked between the girls and Richard and began to put the pieces together little by little. Yet neither of these girls looked as if they had seriously beaten someone just recently. The newcomer had some grazes on her hands but not many, and there was not enough bruising there to account for the amount of injury that Richard had encountered. There was clearly another perpetrator. It was the same no matter where you ended up, people were out to kill each other along with the Walkers.

Sighing, Victor got to work with tying their new guest onto the chair. He refused to waste resources on this man and no one would force him to do otherwise. He didn’t appear to be close to death and his blood loss was stemmed before Victor aggravated the wound again. Walking over to Richard, Victor took his belt from his body. “Oi Doc! I fucking need that!” Victor simply flicked Richard on the forehead before walking off with his belt.

Victor used the belt on the prisoner, tightening the leather above the wound on his leg to stop the blood flow some. He wouldn’t die from blood loss just yet. He would consider closing the wound if someone had a use for this creature but until then, he wasn’t doing it. Richard was grumbling about his belt as Maria and Kris left the infirmary.

Not even a full moment passed before Kris returned and called in for Sidd to assist her. Victor rose an eyebrow but gave them both a nod in response. “If he makes a wrong move, Richard will shoot him. Be safe, children.” He turned back to the prisoner and busied himself with ensuring that he could not escape the chair that he was now tied to. Richard glanced over to Victor and snorted with angry laughter. “Hey Doc, I spy with my little eye, something beginning with D.”

Victor smiled and looked around the room, searching for what Richard would be referencing. He had been looking towards Victor but there was nothing nearby that began with D. Then he chuckled. “Is it Dick?” Richard barked aloud before wincing at some pain it had caused. “Nah Doc, but good guess. It was dead man.” He glared at their prisoner and pulled the hammer back on his pistol, aiming it at the man’s head. Victor couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Doc, better barricade that door again. Don’t want others getting in or out of here too easily.” Victor nodded and moved to the door, motioning for Sidd to follow him when he realised the young man had not left the room just yet, his eyes glued to the doors that hid the cooling body of someone he once knew. Victor gently guided Sidd outside the infirmary when he realised the poor boy was not going to be able to move of his own accord.

As they stood outside the door, Victor looked at these two young people that were living in the same violent world that he was and sighed. There was a genuine sadness on his face as he spoke. “I am going to lock the door again, be careful and keep safe.” He handed his machete to Kris and gave Sidd his hunting knife. Something told Victor that Kris was more adept with larger weapons than Sidd was.

“I hope you do not need to use these but I’d rather you be safe and silent if anything manages to find its way in through the front doors. Keep your eyes and ears open. I am going to barricade the door so you will not be able to get back inside.” He gave them a nod and returned to the infirmary, closing and locking the door behind himself. He shifted a spare gurney under the handle of the door and wedged it against the floor. They could remove it quickly enough from inside but it should buy them some time if someone tried to get in from the outside.

Victor hated the idea of leaving the two young ones outside and locking them out but he was informed by the giant, scary Mexican to barricade the door and since his last barricade was so lacking, he was not going to make the same mistake again. He had orders and he would follow them. For now. Richard still had his gun trained on the dead man, his eyes never leaving his face.

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Maria insisted on leaving. Hell, James hiself had given it due cosideration; it didn't seem like he was doing enough from up here. He felt genuine desire to take up his woodaxe and handgun, beating his boots down on the pavement below eliminating any and all threat to his home. He was a fighter, and a survivor. No question. But the people left down there were depending upon his firing irons and the skill with which he wielded them. He was not Alicia. But he would have to suffice.

James picked up the walkie, speaking into it with a little more alarm and a little less forced humor than he had been using previously. "Ash, man. I'm sorry, Maria's headed your way. I've got to cover all of y'all by my lonesome, ok? So I'm gonna make for the live assholes, 'less you tell me to aim for the dead'ns."

The intrepid hogger gave the new environment of Newnan a peek. The lion's share of the upright corpses were making for the Big Bada Boom in front of the Armory, many to be consumed by fire that their latest personnel acquisition rained upon them. The fire, of course, caught the more sustained attention of others. Their slackjawed stares and shuffling in a uniform direction did however make it easier to pick out the live ones from the dead.

Speaking of which, two of the live ones were making for the Courthouse that very moment. "If I don't know you," he began, setting eye to scope, "then you die, sucka." The trill of a silenced shot sounded before a large bore round tore through the John Deere cap on the head of one, spraying bloody matter and bone fragments behind him. The dead Edenite kept moving forward, though horizontally, prone, and scraping part of his face onto the rough blacktop.

James took aim on the second one, frozen momentarily due to the shock of seeing his buddy's head explode in front of him. The dead-on shot failed to strike. Not for his lack of precision, but for his lack of bullets. "Shit!" he hissed. James could flip out a clip in a second, maybe two. But they would be long seconds with his friends out there. Long seconds.

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"Roger that, James. Will keep an eye out."

Maria decided to leave the tower. This was not what he ordered. This was not what they needed. Maybe all this would work out, but as soon as this situation was resolved, if he survived, there would be an accounting for the ongoing chaos in the Newnan ranks he'd witnessed just today. If they couldn't come together during a time like this, maybe they didn't deserve this town or these walls. The remainder of this day would tell. First, they had to get through it alive.

Ash risked a look outside. He noticed a number of his people making for both the Courthouse and the Armory. Faces he knew. Faces he trusted. And, a couple faces he didn't know, and didn't trust. Feigning ignorance, he stepped fully outside and waved them toward the clear doorway. "C'mon! Here, here, here!" He went as far as to make eye contact with two of them he knew didn't belong, encouraging them inward. Even lowered his carbine. As they neared, he kept waving. "Almost there, guys! Plenty of ammo for everybody!"

The second Ash knew he had a fully unobstructed view of the strangers in his town, his left hand raised, Detonix .45 at the ready. The gun barked twice. The first time tore a hole in an Edenite chest. The second one imploded another's head. "Stupid fuckers..." There had to be more out there, invaders amongst the loyal. Ash could see faces pressed against windows. He could see more of his people running to get into the Armory. The town was beginning to wake up. Now was the time to help them.

His voice boomed as he held a gun in each hand, scanning the crowd for more interlopers to cap. "Look around you, Newnan! Look! We need to move! Cousin Zō is keepin' the Dead busy! Time is NOW."

Without taking his eyes from the coming throng of people, Ash addressed those already inside the Armory, "Tom, you've got this. Get our people ready. If you don't know someone, bullet. Meg! Ready for a jog around town?"

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Mistress Stabby was a strangely fitting name, Meg decided. She reached over to grab a discarded backpack to throw in any weapon she could get her hands on: arrows, hand guns with spare ammo, some knives along with the throwing knives and hand guns from before.

She followed behind Ash as Mistress Stabby caused the chaotic distraction that they needed, far away form them so they could focus on the Edenites. Her finger curled over the trigger of her handgun, the machete she'd grabbed from Lorna still held tightly in her left hand as the two Edenites dumbly approched Ash.

To see Maria coming over towards the Armoury made Meg both happy and terrified. What the fuck was she doing down there? Newnan needed Legolas, not another dead body! But it was Maria, Meg couldn't stop herself from welcoming her best friend with a smile before reaching into the backpack to pull out a few extra arrows. "Got some just in case, seems like it'll be put to good use now." She handed them over to Maria.

"Meg! Ready for a jog around town?"

"Yeah! We got this!" She nodded with false confidence. Might as well kill them with confidence, right?

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The explosion startled Sidd, but his focus remained on Vivian's dead body. He barely noticed as Maria slipped into the med room and the two sisters quietly discussing beside the door.

The rugged biker dude was definitely an asshole, with the way he was going hard on Kris. It was enough for him to scowl at him, but say nothing. It wasn't right for Sidd to butt in, it wasn't like it was any of his business anyway. The asshole newbie was stopped by the French doc with a hand on his shoulder, before Sidd was addressed to.

Sorry for my loss? It wasn't like Sidd knew her all that well despite being together in Newnan for long. He didn't hate her, but that didn't mean he liked Viv all that much. But he did respect her and to see her lying on the slab when it should've been him made him feel sick to his stomach. He helped Froggy to drag the prisoner over to the chair, nodding silently as Froggy thanked him.

"Yo Siddy, we are gonna have some company. I don't know anyone here and need your help to let people in or not." Sidd turned to face her. So Maria left the tower, meaning that it was James up there alone as their look out and it was up to him and Kris to let people in if they needed medical attention. He turned briefly to look at Froggy, "You don't need to use up all we have, this asshole just needs to live long enough to give us info." He told Froggy, thanking him for the hunting knife before gesturing at Kris to follow him out from the main room towards the main gate.

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Everyone, may I have your attention please.. Bow your heads with me as we mourn the loss of so many. It all began with a little Taco Belle and it has only snowballed from there. Our death count has continued to climb but we knew that was going to happen. So many of us are in mourning for that character that meant so much to us. The thing with mourning is that much of the time we are not given enough time to mourn. At least not in this world. Why? Because before we know it we will lose another and sometimes in that mourning we can't think straight. We do things we normally wouldn't do. You know, fly off the handle, rush into a swarm of Walkers, kiss a dead woman in the streets that is providing the newest selection of MRE for a couple of Walkers dining a la picnic.

So, say yours prayers little ones - As she rushed over to the fallen friend Lorna and took her jacket that she was wearing off it all went to hell. The Walkers much preferred a warm flesh to cold flesh. And before she knew it, one of those Walkers had the taste of Archer in their mouth. Maria's right arm has been bit between the elbow and the shoulder.

Now there is a lesson in this children - Don't go kissing and draping clothing over corpses laying out in the middle of the road!

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Zoie reloaded the rifle and went to take aim again, looking through the scope and then pulled back and sat up from her laying position on top of the armory as she saw someone run out of the Courthouse. Her brows lowered, wondering why anyone was leaving the place. She understood people going in but to leave? It seemed odd. Standing up her eyes followed the woman, one of the ones that had laid into Honkey Tonk earlier in the day. She wasn't running for the main crowd of Eaters, she was moving down the street. Towards what? To what end? Then she saw it, where the woman was rushing to.

"Get away from there! Are ya freakin' nuts!" she screamed as she watched Maria rush over to the fallen Marine and get the womans jacket off. Before Zoie knew it the woman was becoming a desert for one of the Walkers that was feasting on Lorna's corpse. Shaking her head she looked around. A few steps back and a flying leap later she had jumped from the roof of the armory and grabbed a hold of a light post, sliding down the thing like she was a fireman. One foot in front of the other she went into a full sprint, taking aim as she went and blowing out the brains of the walker as it leaned back to take another bite. Two more shots and the others around Maria dropped to the ground.

Shouldering the rifle she unbuckled her belt and whipped it out from around her as she slid to a stop next to Maria. "You be holdin' on girl, Zoie be got yer back; hold still," she said quickly as she wrapped the belt down at Maria's arm just below the shoulder and pulled down tight as she could. Wrapping the girls good arm over her shoulder she un-holstered her Beretta and kept it at the ready. "We get ya to Froggy and you'll be fine. Sleeveless is in this season," she quipped trying to lighten the mood. Looking up at the tower she screamed. "Mr. James! Keep that path clear!"

She had done what she could, now she had to get Maria back to Victor if the poor girl hoped to live another day. She was tired of death, had been for a while. Too many were dropping right now and she would be damned if they lost another one today. Amputation beat turning any damn day as far as she was concerned.

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The empty clip ejected, the fresh one inserted as quickly as James's hands could insert it. A second, or just a hair over. The problem was, that second was another span of time he wasn't aiming and shooting. The skilled marksman raised the rifle just in time to see his friend and fellow agriculturist take a nasty bite to her arm. "Damn, girl..." escaped his lips as he took aim on the offending Dead Guy's cranium. His finger tensed on the trigger, and the undead melon exploded into a gelatinous canoe shape. Strangely, he had not actually pulled the trigger yet.

He pondered possible answers to this seeming miracle. Perhaps in this moment of extreme stress, coupled with the canned meat that was somewhat past its recommended consumption date he had spread on crackers earlier, some manner of psionic awakening had occurred. Not dissimilar to the comic book superheroes he enjoyed reading about in his youth, possibly a thing that, especially in this dark era, was extremely necessary.

Now, costume selection would be a touch slim, give the situation. Little in the way of custom fitted unstable molecules with which to adorn himself. Perhaps his overalls and cowboy hat would have to suffice. A battle cry would also be a priority. Now, his superhero name would be easy. "Black James". Yes, that would inspire the necessary fear in those that required it, and hope to the downtrodden. Plus, most everyone already called him that, so hey, easy transition. Yes, this would be a good thing. Now, to use his newfound head-exploding power to liberate Newnan from the scourge of invaders and walking corpses.

And then he saw Zoie approach the scene, rifle in hand. Damnit.

Ok, so he didn't have powers. He did still have a big fucking gun, though. In his hands, that was powers enough. Luckily, or unluckily, depending, the Edenite he wasn't able to shoot earlier changed direction, beelining for Maria instead of the Courthouse. Fine with James - it meant he was still in line-of-sight. One pull of the trigger tore the back of the man's head off. Some meters away, the fresh and bloody skullcap spun around on the blacktop like a grisly beggar's bowl. His next few bullets were dedicated, as requested, to ensuring a clear path back into the Courthouse for both Maria and Zoie.

A glance back to the Armory gave him an instant boost of morale. James let the feeling of cautious hope wash over him, even accepting the smile forming on his lips. Captain Holloway, Ash, had secured the Armory. And he was rallying Newnan to him.

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People of Newnan began streaming in toward the Armory at a faster rate. They had enough guns and ammunition to pass out for everyone present, definitely enough in the way of melee weapons as well. Now, they weren't helpless. Every man, woman, and child old enough to train with a blade carried one; it was one of the rules every citizen of the Newnan Safe Zone pledged to follow. Everyone carried at least a good knife. But a knife was far less preferable than a machete, or a spear, or definitely a nice, reliable shotgun.

They didn't have forever, either. Zoie had left her perch to go help Maria, and without her there, her distraction would soon burn out and the Dead would be finding different ways to pass the time. Ash dearly wished he had a longer window to equip his people, but it was what it was. Do what he could for as many as he could, and trust that they could begin to take care of themselves. He took to personally passing out a series of handguns and clips of ammunition to the approaching people.

"Mark, here you go. Sophie, take this. Good. Marcy, Dennis, keep the line moving. Richard..."

That was Richard's cap, certainly. But that was not Richard under it. No sense asking questions at this point. A single gunshot sounded, Ash keeping a businesslike, nonchalant expression all the while. The Newnanites seemed startled to see someone's face concave and cervical vertebrae flap out of the back of their neck, but kept pressing forward to arm themselves. All except for one lady, who suddenly seemed very concerned with moving in he direction opposite of the group. Ashton looked to one Newnanite, this one the only obstacle between himself and a clear shot at the retreating invader, and posed a steady request.

"Um, Deb? Head to the side, please." The Newnan woman, confused for a quarter second, suddenly jerked her head to the right as Ash raised his .45 and took a shot. The bullet ripped into the invading woman's back and out of her sternum, dropping her like a sack of wet dog hair. "Someone get her brain for me? And... you, take a gun. Machete, too. Who's next?"

The fire began burning lower. It was now or never. "People! I need three more of you on my team. Two more teams of five, start clearing these buildings. Armory is clear, Courthouse is clear. We have new arrivals at the Courthouse, treat them good! Anywhere else, if you don't know them, they die.

Everybody else: CLEAR OUR STREETS. We're taking back the inner wall. If you can, save the bullets for those fuckers that don't belong here."

"We've got this, Newnan. MOVE OUT."

There was a sense of purposeful pride, a certain beauty to the sight of a community righting itself. Frenzied but organized violence, bent on reclaiming their home. Thusly began the painful, necessary work of the citizens of a post-apocalyptic Newnan, beating order back into the chaos that their home had become. They fought for their right to have a safe home of their own, a task to which they set upon with primal justification moderated by the human need to care for their own - evidenced by their willingness to provide support to the newcomer Zoie, helping her get her precious injured cargo to safety.

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"Get away from there! Are ya freakin' nuts!" Was all that Maria had heard, then a very sharp pain coursed through her arm, which caused Maria to yell out in pain turning her head to see that a Walker had managed to get close enough to her and was taking a bite out of her upper arm. The day had just turned from a happy reunion to a day in hell, she had lost not only people she had come to trust, to her closest friend and now she was going to be some walker's lunch?

A lot of emotions were going through her mind now, fear that she was going to turn and then leaving her sister alone with no one that she knows. Maria was about to draw out her knife when she heard a gun shot go off. The walker that had taken a bite out of her it's blood splattering over the side of her face as it's head was shot. Maria was breathing heavily as she looked down at her arm seeing where she had been bitten, her own blood slowly flowing out of the wound.

"Fuck!" Maria hissed in pain as Zoie had rushed over to her and tied her belt just below her shoulder cutting off some of the blood circulation to her arm. Maria looked down at her left hand still holding onto Lorna's dog tags, she looked over towards the armory as Zoie quickly started rushing her over back to the Infirmary where she had been. She wanted to help out the rest of her friends on the ground but instead she was being moved back. "I fucked up so fucking bad, I was going to help the others.."

"Well ya ain't gonna be doin' no one no good if ya start chompin' at us," Zoie grunted as she helped Maria through the remaining fray on the streets. It was one thing to dart through a fight, when you had someone you were dragging along, it made things slow down considerably. Mr. James seemed to be helping keeping the way clear and Zoie was beyond grateful that she only had to pull the trigger three times between the kiss of death and the courthouse.

Pushing her way passed the people of Newnan, Zoie rushed over to where she had dropped Honkey Tonk off. The door was baracaded shut. "Christ on a cracker," she grumbled before her boot connected with the door several times. "Froggy! Time to jump! I'sa gots one bit needin' some of that french magic of yers, open the fuckin' door!"

Kristina stood there watching as a few Newnans walked past her, then she saw Zoie and her sister moving past them, she could easily see the blood on Maria's arm and saw the bite mark where she had been bit and froze. She was scared of losing her sister now and quickly rushed over towards her side. "Maria what happened?!" Kris asked as she moved alongside Zoie and Maria. "I did something really stupid." Maria answered.

Victor jumped up from his assessment of their new prisoner, his eyes heavily glaring at the pile of human waste as he "checked" the pain tolerance for the wound. "Oui Miss Zoie!" He knocked the prisoner across the back of the head with his arm as he hurried towards the door, removing the obstacles preventing Zoie and his latest patient from entering the room. Richard eyed the harassed doctor whilst keeping his gun trained on the bastard sitting down from him.

Removing the last item, Victor flung the doors open and allowed Zoie and the bitten woman entry to the room. Zoie kept a hold of Maria as she helped her into the room. Zoie looked like she went ten rounds with a pit fighter but she was holding her own at least for then. "Thanks Froggy, she gots bit. I dun what you showed me with the belt to keep the blood from flowing but ain't nothin' else I could do out there. She been bit maybe three minutes ago, we booked it here," Zoie said quickly to fill Victor in on what was going on.

Richard tried to see who it was that had been bit but couldn't quite see past Victor's large frame. "Oi, sweetcheeks, ya doin' alright darlin'?" He wasn't entirely sure why he cared, but he did. It was new for him but not entirely unwelcome just yet. It was... nice? That sounded so gay.

"Yeah, don't you bee worrying none about me Honkey Tonk, sweet as Southern Tea, just like always," she said as she handed Maria over to Victor and stepped into view. She looked rough. Her nose was bleeding, her lip busted, a nice shiner; not to mention various other cuts and abrasions dotting her exposed skin. Richard's jaw clenched as he saw the state of Zoie and he tried to move out of the bed only to find the pain in his ribs prevented him from doing so. He winced at the shooting pains coursing through him.

Maria quickly moved over towards one of the open tables, then she looked over and saw Richard across the room pointing his gun at the unconcious Edenian Maria gave Richard a quick glare. "Finally being useful and guarding a bound man huh?" Maria said she then looked over towards Victor Kristina moved over towards her sister's side and held onto Maria's hand tightly. Richard growled through the pain and glared at Maria. "So was it you, the Dykes or the Marine that did the number on Zoie? I figure it was the Marine since Zoie's helping your sorry ass to live right now." He quickly stopped talking when he heard Zoie defending him. That wasn't what he was used to.

"Hey, I knows you be all messed in the head right now after gettin' bit but if it weren't for ol' Honkey Tonk here, I'd be deader than a doornail from them Eater out on the street earlier. I be dead you an' still be out there being gnawed on by them like a dog with a bone," Zoie retorted quickly as she stepped over to the sisters.

"True. But that fuck face over there three months ago before coming here I was in a group with me, Lorna and my sister as well as him. Well quick story is he fucking left me for dead, thats why I fucking lost it there. Go ahead and ask him yourself, or do you want me to show you the scar when he shot me?"

Zoie just rolled her eyes. "Well ya ain't ded, so stuff it," she barked. Zoie wasn't one to give a damn about what happened in the past between people. Wasn't her concern. People were judged by their actions in front of her. So far Richard was okay. Victor walked over to Maria and forced her head to look away from where Richard was laying. "Ignore this nonsense. You are about to die. Act like an adult or die like a dog." He folded his arms and stared down at Maria before grabbing a rubber tube from a trolley that he had nearby.

Stepping behind Maria she grabbed her shoulders and laid her down on the table full and smiled. "Now, you find her somethan' to be bitin' down on, Froggy gotta work.' Victor nodded to Zoie and walked over to grab a towel that had been folded neatly onto the shelves. Deciding that it was not hard enough, he quickly threw it down and grabbed a wooden handled brush before breaking the brush head off of it over his knee.

"Bite on this. We do not need any more noise attracting the dead here. You! Keep guard!" He pointed at Sidd and sent him to watch the main doors of the courthouse. He placed the wooden handle into the mouth of Maria. He looked to Zoie with a worried face and then grabbed the bone saw from the trolley before speaking to Maria again. "This is going to hurt a lot. Brace yourself, blood is coming." Zoie tightened her grip on Maria and pushed down hard on the woman's shoulders. She had seen this done before and it wasn't going to be pretty. He checked the position of the bite and where the blood circulation had been cut off and began to saw the arm off from just below the shoulder.

Maria sighed as Victor quickly put the wooden handle in her mouth she started to bite down as had as she could. Kristina held onto Maria's hand tightly as she tried to calm her down, then Victor started to saw off Maria's arm. Maria's grip started to tighten around Kris's hand and started to let out a muffled cry in pain as Victor cut deeper into her arm. "I'm here Maria." Kristina said while she just focused on her sister and nothing else, she was scared of losing her sister but she wanted to be strong for her.
"Girl, let it out. Screamin' be the only way to deal with this pain. Ain't no one gonna think less of ya. Hell, I'd be done bit through that wood," Zoie said as she held her still.

Victor continued sawing more and more, the blood sprayed everywhere and he cursed himself for forgetting to grab something to cover his clothing but really, it was nothing new. He grunted with the effort of using the saw and he worked through and through in an attempt to save the young woman's life. Zoie grimaced at the blood but there was nothing that could be done about it right then. Hopefully the place would have something for them to change into once this was all over. Richard watched from the sidelines, a satisfied smirk on his face as he heard Maria crying in pain. Now the bitch knew real pain, she'd realise what he'd done months ago was nothing.

Maria's muffled cries started to turn into screams as Victor cut deeper and deeper, tears started going down the sides of her face as Maria breathed heavily her eyes were shut as tightly as she could. Kristina slowly turned her attention over towards Richard seeing him smirking over at her sister, she wanted nothing to do but strangle the man but her focus was on her sister's well being.

"Breath girl, it be over with soon. Just a bit longer and Froggy have that dead part off and be stitchin' ya up in no time," Zoie reassured Maria as she continued to keep the woman pinned down on the table. She hated to have to do it to someone but it was better to have to hold her down than to have her flail and her end up in worse shape.

Grimacing, Victor continued with his work and when the telltale sound of metal on metal sounded, Victor quickly got to work and did what he had to do in order to stem the blood flow and get the wound closed up as best as he could. It would be a long recovery period if the woman even survived. It was pretty much a 50/50 in his mind but time would tell.
Zoie finally released her grip from Maria and leaned over, pulling a sheet over the woman. "You did good girl, you did good," Zoie said in a reassuring voice. Taking a breath she grabbed a towel for herself and stepped over to Richard to check on him.

When he was done with the cleaning and closing of the wound, Victor dashed to find some pain management medication for his latest patient. Richard had changed his attention to the prisoner again but still looked rather satisfied with something that only he and Kris would be aware of. Zoie perked a brow at the look on Richards face but didn't say anything, she was too busy trying to get the mess off herself. God she wanted a shower. Or at least a jump into a creek.

Maria's breathing slowed down somewhat as Victor finished cutting off her arm, she just wanted to roll over and vomit from the pain. She remained very still and quiet as she tried to focus away from the pain. Kristina looked up towards Victor as he walked away to find something for the pain. "Will she survive?" Kristina finally asked, she continued to just try and comfort her older sister as best as she could.

Victor looked down at his handiwork and could do nothing more than consider the odds. "Time will tell. I cannot give you an exact answer but what I can tell you is that she needs constant security until such times as we can tell if she is going to turn or not. The amputation is not a guarantee, it is only a possible treatment." He placed a gentle hand over the top of the two girls's hands and gently patted them both. "I am sorry that I cannot tell you more."

Zoie didn't know the answer to that, she would leave that to Victor. Plopping down next to Richard on the edge of the bed she gave him a bit of a smile as she wiped away the last bit of blood from under her nose. "And to answer yer earlier question, no. Neither of them had a tussle with me. Was an old aquaintance. Had to give him the boot," she said with a smirk on her lips. The smirk faded as she took a breath. "Marine is gone, she got a bullet to the heart out of no where, but don't fret none. That old aquaintance was the cause, he done be taken care of. He lost his head," she said quielty but as she remembered his head rolling across the floor she couldn't help but chuckle.

Richard's eyebrows rose when he heard that Lorna had been killed. He swallowed the lump in his throat and wondered if she'd turned or if she'd became Deadbrain chow. He nodded to Zoie as she filled him in. At least it hadn't been because of her defending of him that caused her to be so bloodied and beaten. He shifted himself on his bed and tried to sit up straighter as he watched her chuckling. The woman really was bad ass. "Well... I'm glad you're alright, dolly."

Kristina looked up at Victor she didn't want to see her sister die, she nodded slowly as she ran her hand through Maria's hair. Maria had closed her eyes lost consciousness shortly after she was still breathing. She looked over at her sister's hand and saw her holding Lorna's dog tags, just as Zoie told her what happened to her. Tears started going down her face after hearing the news Maria was the only person that she had left now. "I'm not going to leave her side." Kristina said softly and looked towards Victor. "Is there anything else I can do?" Victor shook his head and made with starting to clean the mess he had created with Maria's help.

Zoie looked over towards Richard and shook her head a bit as she watched him try to sit up more. "I be just fine, nothin' be getting ol Zo' down. Now you just relax there ya hear me," she said as she reached over and brushed his hair back a bit. He flinched slightly, unsure what to do at her touch in that moment but he managed to smile to her. Apparently his beating had made him more jumpy than he realised. "Thanks sweetheart. Appreciate it." He glanced over to the sisters and considered them both. At least Maria wasn't going to be giving him a mean right hook again, that was for sure.
He heard Kris's reaction to Lorna's death and he balked a little. How the fuck was this little girl not reacting more to the death of the woman that had taken care of her for the last however many months? He shook his head and glared at Kris. He expected more from her.

Kristina took another look at Lorna's dog tags again slowly moving her hand free from her sister's grip. Tears started going down her face as she thought of Lorna the woman who protected and watched over her for the past four months. And the thought of now losing her sister, she laid her head down on Maria's chest and started to cry loudly holding onto her sister she was so scared now being alone.

Zoies eyes went over to the sisters and she cringed somewhat. She was wondering when the break down was going to occur. There was really no words she could offer to try to make things better. Only thing she could think of was perhaps the girls needed to be alone right then. Turning she looked at Froggy. "Froggy, push me over that wheelchair. I gonna take Honkey Tonk out of here. If that bastard down there wakes up, put a bullet in his brain would ya. Or do ya need me to go ahead and get it done?"

Victor glanced up and gave a quick nod before fetching the wheelchair for Zoie. He pushed it over beside Richard and helped him move into the seat. "Thanks Doc. Appreciate it." He gave Victor a quick pat on the arm as thanks and looked towards the sisters. He might have felt bad for them once, but not now. He had no sympathy for them. He really did not give a fuck.

Victor moved over to Kris as she cried on her sister's chest and ran a comforting hand across the top of her back, trying to help her let it all out. He looked to Zoie and considered the idea of shooting the man. His nostrils flared and he looked to Zoie. "I will not shoot him but I will kill him if necessary. Perhaps sending in the young man from outside to watch him may be a good idea?"

Kristina felt Victor gently patting her back, she knew he was trying his best to comfort her at the moment Kris was to upset with lossing Lorna and the thought of Maria for good this time. "Please don't leave me Maria.." Kristina said softly between sobs. Victor removed his hand from the girl's back and nodded. "If you need anything I will just be across the room. When Maria wakes up please let me know and we can move her onto a more comfortable bed." He walked away and began to tidy and clean the instruments that he had used so far.

Zoie nodded towards Victor as she stepped behind the wheel chair and moved them over to the door, pushing it open with Richards feet. "Hey, can yousa go in there and keep an eye out on that bastard for me? Gonna get Honkey Tonk away from them two for a bit. Much appriciated. With that she pushed Richard out into the next room and wheeled him over to a window so she could take a peek out to see what was going on.

---

---

---

Well my my my, we have somethings to attend to don't we? Shall we? Alright, well first things first - Meg and Sid will be bunnied at this time to do what is needed of the characters. (Aewin is in the middle of finals.) - Anyone may bunny them, just make sure that you don't make the characters speak and such. Basic handling. Rolls for them will be stopped until their controllers returned.

Next part of this is what is going on outside of the courthouse. Walkers are being taken down and Newnan is mobilizing. NPC's are remaining in the streets or going into the courthouse - they are staying out of buildings from this point on for safety. Ash, you have control of Meg since she is with you - you two run into walkers but it isn't until the third building you enter that you run into an Edenite. Then all hell breaks loose. Edenite fires towards you but misses - He keeps firing - deal with him!

Up in the tower - James is seeing everyone trying to clear the streets and Walkers are dropping quick. Back wall - you see an Edenite trying to get out of town - GET THAT MOTHERFUCKER!

In the OR - Maria is hanging on there, she is out cold and probably won't wake for a bit but with all the blood loss - a transfusion could make it better - type the blood and get that underway! She doesn't appear to be changing and no fever has set in, so all things considered she is doing really damn well.

---

---

---

It wasn't clockwork. That was apparent. Nothing was clockwork anymore, nothing ran smoothly. The best one could hope for in this day and age was success with minimum collateral damage. Nonetheless, Newnan (such as it was) pulled together, beating back the swarm of Dead and Living invaders both. They seemed to tumble over each other like ants; angry, angry ants biting and ripping part a rival colony. This was Newnan. It wasn't pretty anymore. But it was a home for the living, and the living fought very hard and very ugly to keep it.

The living invaders were either hunkered down or running like hell for any possible exit. They had killed enough of Newnan's people. Now that the tide of the battle was turning, it was their opportunity to reciprocate.

Case in point: There was one fellow, seemed to be having some difficulty making it over the inner wall. Black James squinted his eyes, trying to figure out who would be quite as mentally daft as to attempt to scale the Newnan Inner Wall with all of the bullets and dead people flying about. He raised Alicia's rifle to his eye, peering through the scope.

"Wait wait wait... I don't know you, Squirrely-Man. An' that means you gotta die."

James felt that this kill deserved a personal touch. He quickly but carefully set down the weapon in his hands and hauled up the Anti Materiel Rifle he called Vera. A heartbeat later, a silenced round exited the gas recoiled barrel, traveling faster than the speed of sound. It entered the man as he bent over the top of the Wall, less than an inch from his rectum, literally tearing a new hole in his ass. It nicked lumbar vertebrae on its way through, chipping off sharp points and causing a cacophony of internal damage as the splinters pinballed about his innards. But the real damage occurred when the bullet, now tumbling ever so slightly, made it past the arch in his lower spine and slammed hard into his cervical vertebrae. It found the hole in the center, obliterating the spinal cord and exploding bone after bone in rapid succession, faster than human thought could hope to match.

It destroyed his neck entirely and ripped the back half of the man's skull out of his head. He didn't even have time to feel it.

While he didn't have the optimal vantage point to see the extent of the damage Vera had caused, James saw enough to know that they wouldn't need to call the School Nurse about this particular boo-boo. The fine, red mist that quickly blew away in the wind was an excellent indicator of the man's passing from this world in a swift and dramatic fashion. The ebon-skinned hog hunter gave the tiniest smile, and whispered "...hatchetman..." before switching back out to his previous rifle.

In the distance, along the path of the offending round, the crown of a mighty tree splintered and collapsed onto the ground below.

---

---

---

The three volunteers that joined Ash and Meg were well known to the good Captain; they had been with him since almost the beginning. They were part of his original group back in Virginia, working for his father in the distillery. He had seen them around town even before a giant lump of shit slammed, sumo-style, into the maniacally flailing, ever-spinning fan known as human existence.

The three teams armed and split up, each taking a section of buildings and set to the task of cleaning house. A few of the Dead in familiar surroundings did little to slow down vigorously motivated teams of five, and given the blessed absence of Edenites in their search, all three teams were able to take three buildings each in short order. Team Ash wasted no time blowing through their allotted buildings, with little incident outside of jamming a blade into a dead guy's face.

Until the last building, anyway. Things had gone a little too easy. Given the day so far, easy made Ash nervous. He approached the door with knife and carbine at the ready. It was a dwelling, one of a few actual houses inside the inner wall. Something didn't seem right. Some detail that his conscious mind didn't point out that his subconscious powers of perception screamed at him.

"Meg, you stick behind be. Umm... eyes to the back. Make sure no one sneaks up on our six, ok?"

It was more for her protection than his actual worry concerning a sneak attack. Ash liked the girl. She still had a sense of pragmatic optimism that the apocalypse hadn't yet taken away. That was a kind of strength. Annoying at times, but strength nonetheless. Newnan needed harder men like himself for situations similar to the one they found themselves mired into presently, but to look forward, Newnan would need people like Meg to maintain their humanity.

Slowly scouting from room to room, the team met zero resistance. Then a bedroom door swung open, followed immediately by the report of a large bore handgun. Instinct kicked in, Ash going to one knee and firing off a single shot of his own to answer for the unwanted guest's. He tried for a quick and dirty headshot, but his haste affected his aim. It was a neck shot. In one side and out the other, the man was dead anyway.

The invader dropped his weapon and slapped both hands to his neck, reflexively trying to keep his life's blood from spilling away. He looked at the assembled group of Newnanites and slumped to his knees. He knew he was dead. Pure instinct to survive fueled his gurgling attempt to plead for his life. Ash looked coldly at the man, carbine still trained on him. He glanced to the men around him, the Virginians, and spoke in a low, cold voice.

"Do it. Save your ammunition."

The remaining three set upon the already doomed man, knives opening him up with cathartic ferocity.

---

---

Niesha was checking her arrows, making sure that there were no splinters or cracks that could break the arrow, which could mean the difference between life or death, in this life. Her mind wandered, but she still kept a look out for the dead. The church they were within was quite, and as far as she knew, empty. She wondered, not for the first time, what it was about people that made a building feel warm and...lived in. An abandoned church was even creepier then an abandoned house.

She wondered too how she had come to be with someone, again. She had promised herself she wouldn't allow this to happen, not again. If she was with people, she would get attached, and if she got attached, she would just get hurt again. She didn't know she could survive that again.

Yet what was she suppose to do, after the girl had saved her life? Niesha had expected to be attacked by the dead, not the living. So when she'd been attacked, it had shocked her, and she hadn't thought to get her gun. If Sophie hadn't saved her, Niesha might not be sitting in a church contemplating this. Sighing to herself, she put her arrows away, in the leather pouch she had sewn to hold them, over one shoulder so she could reach them quickly. Her gun was in its holster, loaded and ready to use. Her pack was by her feet, ready to grab. The knife she ate with was tucked into her belt.

She ran a hand over her mutilated hair, grimacing. When she'd been attacked, her hair used as leverage to control her, Niesha had cut herself free with the knife, and now her hair was short, chopped unevenly. She knew that wasn't something she should be concerned with, yet she had always had long hair. Sighing once more, she rose, slinging her pack over one shoulder, clipping her bow onto it, and making sure the arrows were secure.

"hey? I'm going to see if there's any water about, I don't have much left. You can come with if you want" she called to Sophie, part of her wanting the other girl to come, part of her not wanting that. "maybe check and see if there's any meds, or food." sometimes it was better to keep on moving, rather then be with her thoughts. Her nightmares. Her horrors.

---

---

Kristina rested her head on Maria's chest as she rested on hand over her sister's chest Kris was staring at Lorna's dog tags in her hand, she was still trying to process everything that had just happened in the last few short hours. Earlier in the day they were walking and just barely trying to get by with the little supplies that they had. Then they were surrounded by walkers while refilling their water, and making a run towards the street and then just laying there as rain hit them. The moment she saw her sister she was really happy to see her alive and breathing.

Then they came here and all hell breaking lose, first watching a few people that lived in Newnan dying then her best friend and the woman who she saw as another sister was killed then her sister going out and getting bit. Kristina cried again softly as she thought of losing Maria for a second time, she was the only person that she knew and Kris just felt so helpless watching her sister lay there. "Please don't leave me alone Maria I really need you now more then ever... Lorna is gone and you are the only family I have left.." Kris said softly as she held onto Maria's left hand seeing the paleness in her sister's face and skin from all the blood loss from the amputation, still Maria was breathing slowly and she didn't have a fever. Kristina slowly ran her hand through Maria's hair she looked towards the bloodied bandage where her older sister's right arm used to be.

If Maria still lived through this she wouldn't be able to hold a bow anymore, and Kris remembered Maria was a righty she wanted to do more for her.

---

---

Sophia leaned back on one of the church benches and sighed quietly as she took out her machete which was covered in Walker blood and god knows what else. She grimaced as she wiped it away with the sleeve of her hoodie which she had tied around her waist just to keep herself cool from the hot Georgia heat. She looked towards her new partner Niesha they had met the day before at Westside School, she was looking for food and other supplies supplies. But instead she could hear a struggle in the school's cafeteria and could see Niesha fighting herself against an older man.

Of course when things started to get worse Sophia snuck up on the man and thrusted her machete through the man's chest, then he quickly fell down to the ground. Sophia asked if she was alright, she was glad that her new friend was safe but sadly the entire school was picked clean. Somehow they actually had agreed to stay together for a bit and help one another out which she was glad Sophia had no one else who wasn't friendly and wanted to shoot her.

Sophia quickly shook her head as she looked over towards her new companion she was right they did need some supplies three bottles of water wouldn't last long at all. "I'll come with you then Niesha." Sophia said as she slowly stood up and stretched letting out a soft yawn as she sheathed her machete, then she reached towards her AR15 and checked the ammo seeing she still had enough Sophia stretched slightly. Sophia remembered hearing a storm earlier in the day which might have drawn the attention of walkers she didn't feel comfortable leaving the girl along as she got her things ready. "I'm ready to go whenever you are."

---

---

Cresting the low hill came a sight not commonly seen in this part of the world, or any really under common expectation. But it was a new world, or rather, the New Dark Age of the same old world. Looking at it from that point of view, the sight really shouldn’t have been that unexpected.

　　　Two women on horseback made their way down Smokey Rd, south and west of Newnan proper. They were armored and garbed like time travelers who hit the wrong number on the dial, mistakenly showing up a millennium or so late for one of the many Scandinavian incursions onto Saxon lands. One of the women rode point, if only slightly, eyes bright and searching for anything of note in the scenery before them. She wore a long hauberk of heavy gauge chain mail, matte of color with impressive coverage, and bore a large Viking roundshield on her back. One hand grasped a winged spear, taller than herself, the other hand controlling the reins of her destrier. Were one to look closely, they would notice more modern clothing peeking from underneath her armor.

　　　The other woman’s horse was hitched to a wagon, pulling goods of some kind, not discernible to any outside of the transport. She looked like a relic from a former era, even more so than her counter part. Each bit of leather on her corset and her pauldrons reeked old world craftsmanship and endless battles. Her cornflower blue tunic which lay beneath her seemingly restrictive binds was stained in blood and mended several times over. Blonde hair was intricately braided back out of her face and flowed halfway down her back; partially covering the round shield secured there. The sheath of her sword bounced against the top of her boots with each stride of the pearl white draft horse on which she was mounted. The cart rolled steadily behind her with each clack of her steeds shoes against the concrete.

　　　Off in the distance just ahead of them a single Walker shambled down the street as if it was following something that had passed long before they arrived; only to finally divert his attention towards the women as he heard one of the horses ninny behind him. ”Bri, got a live one,” she called out as she glanced towards her lone companion of the last year.

　　　”Yeah, Astrid. I see him. Gimmie a sec.”
　　　
　　　Bridgette nudged her horse forward, unslinging her steel reinforced roundshield from her back. She slid her grip farther back on her spear, nearer to the spiked counterbalance on the butt end of the weapon. As the horse picked up speed, her blonde braids trailed behind her like a tournament favor. For a brief moment, she looked much more like her companion - a product of a simpler (and only slightly less horrifying) era.
　　　
　　　Astrid pulled back on the reins and sat there, resting her hand over the hilt of her blade as she waited. Just because there was only one in sight currently did not mean there weren’t more. These things always seemed to travel in packs; like damn locusts just waiting for a fresh meal. They had survived this long by playing it smart about how they handled matters outside of their walls; they weren’t about to make some stupid mistake, like taking things for granted.
　　　
　　　She closed the distance between their cart and the lone Biter in narrow seconds, her spear angled ahead of her like a light lance. The application of classically trained precision found the speartip deftly penetrating the eye socket of the shambling bastard, removing it from the unpleasant state of animation in which it resided. Bridgette angled her horse hard to the right and relaxed her arm, turning the animal about and freeing her blade from the undead skull without incident.
　　　
　　　Trotting back to the wagon, the mounted anachronism took stock of their situation, really feeling out the events of the past couple of hours. Whenever they got to where they were going, she still wasn’t sure whether she wanted to help them or kill them.



　　　Astrid pulled on the leather straps of her horses pack, tightening things down. The night before hadn’t been too bad and they had been able to take a couple of shifts of sleep. It was time to get moving before the sun got too high in the sky and the heat of Hell, I mean Georgia, started to make itself known. Patting down Edgar, she rubbed his neck a bit before glancing over towards Bridgette. ”We need to move out soon.”
　　　
　　　
　　　Then the sound hit, like a tornado only diesel fueled and Astrid’s brow arced slowly above one eye as her head turned. Stepping towards the tree line she picked up her shield and drew her long sword. Then she saw it, this monstrosity of a machine roaring down the street with some woman perched on top of the cab like a damned owl. ”What the hell was that?” she asked more to the air than actually to Bridgette but she figured her companion would answer her anyways in a very colorful manner.
　　　
　　　”It looks like a train grudge fucked a dump truck and put the kid through Catholic school.” Bridgette answered. ”Someone must have worked goddamn hard to make a truck that ugly. ” Astrid smirked slightly at Bri’s description, the woman had a way with words, especially when it came to cursing. She half wondered at times if the woman had some celt blood in her.
　　　
　　　As much as Bridgette made fun of the vehicle, it was impressive. The machining alone that must have gone into it piqued her interest. Hell, just overcoming the road vibration factor when attaching the monster cowcatcher in the front must have taken weeks to figure out without electronics or internet research time. And unless she was mistaken, was that the scent of homemade liquor wafting faintly toward them? Yeah, if she ever ran across them again, she’d have questions.
　　　
　　　But whatever asshole welded that thing together could have spent some time prettying it up. Seriously.
　　　
　　　Bridgette readied her own gear, checking and double checking. It was a morning ritual, just as upkeep was the prescribed ritual for the evenings. Her forge gear, hammers and tongs and whatnot, were all accounted for and carefully stashed away. Weapons were present and in perfect condition, melee and otherwise. Spear, axe, seax. In any Apocalypse, a girl that could make her own weapons was always one step ahead of the competition. Contrasting her partner, the younger Shield Maiden found use in the limited application of firearms. A double barreled Remington, sawed off and pistol gripped, was a girl’s best friend sometimes. That, and it hid nicely behind her shield.
　　　
　　　Food was always a slippery commodity. She had a few cans of things, maybe some crackers. It was a halcyon month, a while back, when they came across a stash of Campbell’s Chunky Soup, but that eventually dwindled, as all supplies do. Well, they had enough for now. However long now was.

　　　While Astrid readied the wagon, and her Clydesdale to it, Bridgette saddled up her destrier mount, a young charger she pulled from a jousting stable named Cadence. The horse’s original owner wasn’t going to need it anymore, having succumbed to whatever flu killed off half of her people what seemed like ages ago. Saddlebags and tack, saddle, brushes, etc. All accounted for. Ok, morning ritual done, ready to ride out.

Astrid finished hooking Edgar up to the cart and double checking that everything was in place. It would be another long day most likely, days were always long now. There was never just a day to relax and enjoy the world around you. If you took a break, you ended up dead; or worse. Stepping over to Edgar she placed her foot in the stirrup and pushed off the ground; swinging her leg over and resting down in the saddle as she took a hold of the reins. Giving Bridgette a slight nod that she was ready for her to go ahead and take point.
　　　
　　　As per the norm, the lady with the more agile horse NOT attached to a wagon scouted out to make sure the path was clear. Being able to see the road from their concealed vantage was not quite the same as being able to see up the road. Being on horseback had some significant advantages, but one disadvantage was a lack of ability to outrun most internal combustion engine vehicles on flat, open blacktop, if the driver chose to be an ass.
　　　
　　　Everything looked clear, but there was a strange stillness in the woods around Bridgette that made her uneasy. She returned to their site, eager to be underway. ”Hey, girl. Looks clear. Let’s make with the fucking off, huh? Bridgette tied a pink bandanna over her braids, pulled the hood to her chain coat up, and reined Cadence back toward the road.

Astrid nodded and gave a quick kick of her heel to her horses flanks; edging him forward until he was on the road and turning to ensure the wagon was settling right before continuing forward and down the road. ”Another day towards who the hell knows,” she muttered under her breath.
　　　
　　　They were on the road for a good while afterwards, traveling at a leisurely pace. When you have no where specific to be, getting there on time just doesn’t have the same priority. The conversations varied throughout the morning.
　　　
　　　”Why the ass do you wear that leather all the time? Honestly, this is Georgia. You’ve going to smell like a foot wrapped in bacon by four o’clock.”
　　　
”One, you would kill for some bacon right about now. And Two, like that damn chainmail of yours is any better. Keep wearing that shit and you’re gonna have a permanent hunch back.”

　　　”Hell no. Long coat of twelve gauge titanium wire mail. Twice as strong as steel, half the weight. Best part - AIR GETS THROUGH.

...
　　　
　　　”Hey, do these bracers make my ass look big?

”No, your ass makes those bracers look small.”

"Yeah. Go fuck a doorknob."

...
　　　
　　　”...and then the one Biter says to the other one, “Hey, does this taste funny to you?” HA! Can’t remember where I heard it...”

”I think we need to find a joke book, you are really running out of material.”

...
　　　
　　　Nearing the top of a rounded hill, Bridgette looked around to get a good lay of the land. What she saw behind her gave her pause. A horde. An honest to God wall of bodies lumbering up behind them; not close enough to have noticed them yet, but close enough that the warrior women could estimate numbers, speed, and make a quick prediction on survival chances if they stayed anywhere near it.
　　　
　　　”Wait. Hva faen? Fucking hell. We need to go.”

Astrid shifted in her saddle and glanced over her shoulder. Well that wasn’t good at all. Grumbling a bit she glanced over towards Bridgette. ”I bet that damn machine that roared by earlier got their attention. They might want to work on making that thing a little quieter,” she snipped in annoyance.


　　　
　　　For now, as long as they kept moving forward, they were ok. Bridgette thought about that strange truck they passed them earlier. It was the kind of vehicle scrapyarded together by people with the means to do so. That meant walls, that meant tools. Probably meant food. Sure as hell meant people.
　　　
　　　”Hey, didn’t we pass some hole in the wall settlement up the road, like, a long-ass time ago?” Astrid nodded as they continued on their way. Luckily they had a bit of a lead on the hoard behind them and didn’t have to push their horses too much more to keep putting more distance between them but they would need to find one heck of a place to hold up over night if they didn’t want to end up a victory meal.
　　　
　　　”Think they may have built the place up some? I mean, that dump truck had to come from somewhere, right?”

”Oh, you mean Newnan? There wasn’t much there when the outbreak began but I guess they could have built it up more. ”
　　　
　　　”Well, that means the Horde back there’s headed right for them. That’s going to fuck with their weekend.”

”Well maybe if they didn’t build something that was basically ringing the dinner bell they wouldn’t have to worry about that damn hoard. It’s like they were asking for trouble.”
　　　
　　　”You think they’re following the truck? So those twatwaffles lured them onto us?

”Doubt they meant to, but seems like they aren’t thinking about what consequences come with a rig like that. I mean seriously. Rule one, keep quiet.”
　　　
　　　”Oh, I would love to shit in a box and mail it to those guys. Let’s go say hi to Newnan, then.”

”Yeah, about time we did I would say,” Astrid smirked as she nudged Edgar forward some more.
　　　
　　　They had continued for some time like this, just ahead of the perception of the Horde, traveling up Smokey Rd at a constant pace, moving northeast. If the once small reclaimed portion of Newnan still stood, there would be walls to hide behind. Their fault or not, they had no idea an army of dead people were marching on their location. At least they could give advance warning.

Astrid would glance back every so often to check on the progression of the hoard. She really did not like having so many within eye sight but it was better than not knowing where they were. If Newnan had standing walls, they better fucking let them in or it was going to be time for a good old fashion Viking Raid. Like hell she was going to get eaten because of someone else’s mistake. Whether they meant it or not she didn’t care at that point. It put her and her partner in danger.
　　　
　　　If worse came to worst, their old home was a handful of miles in the same direction, anyway. If it still stood.
　　　
　　　
　　　
　　There were few people in the world nowadays, and even fewer before the outbreak, that could deal with the anxiety of riding horseback along a road at a moderate canter with a small army of soulless flesh-eating former people snarling up behind them. For women like these, it was part and parcel with being on the road for the past year. Not an everyday thing, mind you, but it wasn’t the first time they had to lead a slow chase against Biters while carrying precious cargo.

”Yeah, I remember this area now. Couple more miles, this road turns into Lagrange and takes us into Newnan proper. Almost there... Let’s put this into a higher gear.”

---

---

Does it begin again? Niesha wondered, do I once more collect a rag tag bunch of individuals? To what end? Will I be left alone, again? She waited for Sophie to be ready, glancing out on of the windows, checking to see if there were any walkers, or humans out there.

Once she was satisfied that the coast was clear for the moment, she darted out the door, long since having developed silent walking and running skills. The school had clearly been ransacked, and would yield no supplies, but they could still try a food store and hope the warehouse hadn't been ransacked too Much, houses and surely there were fruit trees about. And sometimes people's vegetable gardens yielded veggies, if you dug down. And they'd have to find water.

Waiting for Sophie, Niesha scanned the area, listening for any sounds of walkers, her bow in her hand, and an arrow loosely knocked. She wondered, as she often did, how many of her compound were still alive. She wondered, as she had since she was seven, if her brother was alive. And she wondered if she was doomed to care and lose, forever.

"where shall we look?" she would ask Sophie when she joined her