Location: Agriculture
Gavin gave James a broad grin. It seemed James was about to shoot him down before he ever got a chance to speak but then things changed and James looked to be interested in at least hearing what Gavin had to say. Sighing Gavin glanced over and spotted some woman starting to head their way. Buttoning his lip he motioned to her and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Nunya," he said before glancing back over to James. He stepped over to James, leaning in and whispering against his ear one or two words, making sure this eavesdropper couldn't hear shit. He gave the man a wink and then continued,
"Talks to ya once we can talks without ears." Turning he tipped his hat to her,
"Ma'am," he added before strolling off with his escort towards the gate. He wasn't about to say anything in front of her. He had wanted to speak with James, not a woman who decided to walk right on up and stick her nose into business that was none of her concern. Had he wanted to speak to her, he would have walked up to her. It was a simple as that.
"Gavin, you just hold on a sec..." called James, responding to Kristina's hug with a big squeeze of his own.
"C'mon now, girl. Bossman done said that if'n you wanna talk with me, we gotta meet up at the Gate in about, oh, twenty minutes, alright? I ain't gettin' anyone else in trouble today, little lady. You go on now. I'll be along after." James waved Gavin to him, walking back into the Agriculture storage building. It could afford them the privacy necessary to speak about the single phrase the tall Texan whispered into his ear; words that most definitely captured his attention. Gavin's head cocked around and nodded towards James before brushing passed Kristina and stepping into the building after James; swinging the door shut behind him. The escorts looked at each other and then shrugged, there wasn't a backdoor out of the building and it was sealed up tight due to it being winter so seemed they figured it was okay.
Well, not one to pass up on the opportunity Gavin set it out quickly and quietly; keeping his voice down.
"Wells, you see. I done had a run in with a rights ornery bunch of folks and well I gonna be settin' out to rids the worlds of their asses right quick likes. Seeing as I done seen what you done and hearing the whys I be thinking you my kind of man and coulds helps a lot with this bunch. Plus, I be needing directions. So, tell ya what. You hitch me a ride and if you feelin' frisky you can haves in on the fun. That is, if ya be knowing where this place called Peachtree City be's at," Gavin said as he stood there and gave the brim of his cowboy hat a run over with his finger.
Caution was the first emotion, if it could be called such, that showed on James's features. The mention of Peachtree City was enough to do that, this day and age. He looked the man over, trying to figure out his motivation for wanting to take on the entire settlement by himself (and if he were even being honest about it in the first place). The part about this that irked him, however, was the fact that Gavin started this conversation with a smile.
"You talkin' 'bout Eden." he said gravely.
"Yeah, I know where Peachtree's at. I don't know 'xactly where Eden's at inside of there, though. Got a good idea." Two men taking on a group like that seemed suicidal. They were equipped, organized, and ruthless.
"That there's a hornet's nest, Texas. Hittin' it with a stick might be bad for these folks. We do this, I gotta know it's gonna be full done 'fore I even start. You got a plan?" Gavin was glad James knew of Peachtree City and the people but the fact he knew about them and they were still alive made him question just what the hell people in this town were thinking knowing people like that were out there. The expression on Gavin's face darkened as he nodded.
"Yeah, trust me I knows they ain't playin' no games other than the sick and twisted ones. I really thinks Satan himself woulds be placing their asses next to Hitlers once I'm done with them," he said as he rubbed his chin. He remembered what the girl had been through and his brow furrowed, his eyes growing darker.
"And now I knows that Strawberry be kickin', I be damned letting fuckers like them live any longer than they needs to be for me to gets to them. I ain't leavin' any of them still kickin, they ain't evers gonna hurt no ones again. Enough already been killed cause of them. Some problems gots to be dealt withs, no matters the cost, b'for anyone else gets hurts." James was still in shock, at least little. The events of the previous evening were still kicking up a considerable amount of emotion in the man, and likely would for quite some time. There was a heavy amount of guilt and grief, slathered over a sense of aching calm. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but it was definitely the kind of reaction to something utterly
wrong that he had both witnessed and committed that brought about change in a man. Whether that change was temporary or for keeps was still anybody's guess, but James wasn't fully himself in that moment. The one underlying factor that burned within him was a desire to keep the people of Newnan safe. Even if he wasn't part of Newnan anymore.
"You damn skippy, Tex. I'm with ya, but you tellin' me you ain't got a plan. No intel, neither. We ain't gonna just walk up there and start us a'shootin', hope for the best. That's how we die, an' get folks here killed, too. No, sir. I started this mornin' expectin' to die, honest and straight. Damn near hoped Ash'd put a bullet in my brainpan. This... this here's purpose, Mr. Gavin, sir. I ain't gonna waste it, neither should you." James was nodding to himself, ideas forming in his curiously creative, redneck thought processes. A sort of determination seized him, energizing his movements and brightening his eyes.
"We doin' this right, Tex. Yessir, we doin' this right. Form a fallback. Get a plan. Maybe talk to that Ryan fella, 'fore we're gone. He escaped from there, might know somethin' we can use." Gavin nodded a bit and flicked the brim of his hat with his finger, sending it tilting back slightly on his head.
"Ain't sayin' I ain't gots a plan but don't want to be talkin abouts a plan in fronts..." he said before trailing off and the door for a minute before looking back at the backwoods hogger.
"Don'ts wants peoples follow us and tryin' to help. I ain't gots no problems dyin' and after what I done seen and heard, figured yous on the same path as me," he said rather matter of factly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Less peoples knows the betters. Thana catch winds of any of this, her hot tail be runnin' afters as back up fasters than yous can says Bobs yer uncle. You thinks this Ryan character can keeps his trap shut, fine. Buts mights nots be ables to b'fore yous gotta leave if people's keeps walking right on ups like that girl did. Likes to know the inside of the place but no matters what plans we make, plans fall aparts. I'm goin's in, killin's tills I be dead. Aint' standing here waiting fer an attack, lettin' them plans shit. Don'ts even wants to know how many have died and been hurt because peoples just standing around talking, planning, or letting the fuckers lay in wait." That last part struck home with James. He knew about Eden, weathered their harassment via ammunition. They had lost people to those savage bastards, but no matter how hard they tried, Eden never could take Newnan nor break the spirit of its people. Curiously, they had never been attacked by these people while out on a run. Maybe there was a reason for that, but then again, very few things in this world made sense anymore. They were the reason Zoie was dead, as well as a handful of others. Provided this new acquaintance really did have a prepared course of action, even conceptually, James was in. It would have to be altered to account for his presence anyway.
"Aight then, we talk after. I done told you I'm in, Texas. Meant it. I'm all about some crazy today."
Ash Holloway
Location: Building A (Ash's House)
The precision change from personal to Military gave Ash some pause. It was actually rather endearing, in its own way; a feeling of something comfortably familiar, structured even. Her more formal attitude was contagious - Ash felt himself slowly taking on a more military posture as she spoke.
"I agree to your terms so far. I do not micromanage my team, Thana. If a department under my command gets results and doesn't lead to mutiny, then most of the time I just wait for the weekly report. You think you can do better, great. I look forward to a more prosperous growing season. You may absolutely start tomorrow, and you may absolutely make it your job. I will announce it formally with the evening meal." Ash's mind drifted to the first part of Thana's terms, referring to their professional demeanor outside of the house and while at work. He agreed silently, nodding quietly to himself. But in all fairness, the part he probably liked best was the "all bets are off" portion of the talk. He smiled just a little, remembering the previous evening in the woman's company.
Thana's motion toward the door snapped him back into the present. It was getting nearer to James's deadline. He was the man who passed sentence, so he should be there to see it carried out. Plus, he was genuinely going to miss the man. He didn't wish James any harm, and in fact quite the opposite. He just didn't know any other way to help him without it screaming any more favoritism than his actions already did. Just about anyone else and Ash would have put that bullet squarely into their skull. Exiled persons might have a way of turning back up with more people, more guns, and a ton of inside intel. But James... He did what he did to protect his people, misguided and emotional as it was.
Gathering up the axe and pistol he confiscated from his friend earlier, Ash strode to and opened his front door. He sighed heavily, knowing what came next.
"Ma'am? Let's get down to that Gate."
Location: North Of Newnan (Veterans Memorial Park - Corner of Temple Ave. & Jackson St.)
Thalia wasn't certain why she agreed to team up with the woman that she did, but she was grateful for her company. Well, most of the time. And the TANK certainly didn't hurt matters any. It was a highly unexpected piece of security, being able to travel inside of rolling armor, and while a little cramped in there for her liking she could not deny the benefit of sleeping in or on top of the machine. As long as they could find flammable liquid, they had a motorized
fortress.
Of course, this meant that the concept of stealth waved bye-bye a long time ago, and that wasn't really the tank's fault, at least not completely. The woman driving the gigantic hunk of steel had a lot to do with it, as made evident with her A.M. concert. Sometimes, Thalia could swear that Lola made more noise than the tank. For her faults though, Lola was a loyal friend, and generous with her hospitality. Thalia only hoped that her skills with electronics and as a survivor were of equal value for trade.
As the call for breakfast cut over the inexpertly sung notes of Cole Porter, Thalia rose from her position off to the side of the tank. She had been hunkered down near a small clump of once-manicured trees in a smallish, neighborhood park, gathering pine needles still insulated from the snow into a tinder nest. She had already taken advantage of the snowfall, locating clean, untouched drifts to harvest, filling every container capable of holding water. It was a precious commodity again, clean water. She was done enough, anyway. Something to eat sounded divine right then. She raised her head and responded,
"Togethah, huh?" in a mild Boston accent.
"Sold. Gimmie a sec..." Thalia bent down to retrieve a long shaft of fire-polished hardwood terminating in a foot-long, ebon spike. It was a crude spear, but finely crafted and somewhat more intimidating than a common stick had the right to be. She unzipped her leather jacket and started for Lola's position when she witnessed the woman ignite a match and light the grill atop her tank with it. She was partly mesmerized and partly irritated; Thalia had really wanted to do that. Okay, next time.
"And what's with this "Jet" bullshit again? Thalia or Angel. Frigging pick one. I even like Angel, okay?" Her irritation did not slow her down, though. Mac & Cheese plus Chili? Together? Totally worth it.
Her mood shifted to survival when Lola gave her advance warning of an approach (while calling her Jet again, she noted). Thalia grasped her spear low on the haft and spun around to take cover behind the tread of the tank, pulling her Glock 9mm in the process. She gave a quick glance around to survey the surroundings, making sure it was just the one target.
"Zed, or is this one breathing?" she asked plainly, knowing that her friend had the superior vantage.
