*If you need a roll before you post - trying to jump something, climbing over broken shit, etc. just drop me a pm here or tag on Discord. As of right now, there are no Walkers posing any danger to you yet in Newnan.
Over at the Funeral home, the building was about to crash down but south of them, the wall around Newnan had fallen. To their luck, a good portion of the Franklin portion of Newnan was still standing. It looked rickety but it was standing. There were supplies there. Maybe the Armory and makeshift clinic that was in that area was below ground and crumbling now but there were buildings and bug out bags within them. It could mean the difference in living and dying on the road. For all they knew, those bags contained the last food supplies and weapons they would have access too for weeks or even months.
Over in the Southeast portion of the town, Amelia had gotten the bags and her group were trying to get out. There was no reply but static on the radio. Either they were out, damaged, or there just were no survivors at this point. The walls rubble was high and unstable, what happens when a twenty foot tall wall made of steal gets treated like it is a piece of tissue paper by Mother Nature. Another thing that happens is after shocks. When the earth is ripped open, it doesn't just scream and then go silent. No, things have to settle and in settling, more things tend to happen.
The town shook slightly and the shaking was centered beneath the building that the trio was retrieving bags from. The building they had chosen was a side storage building for various things needed for the live stock and apparently the fates decided to give Meg a hoe, because you know, bitches love hoes. It was a beautiful hoe, probably cost a pretty penny back in the day. Yet instead of digging up the ground this time it just lay there. On the ground. And with the shaking of the ground, it sent to the three off kilter. Amelia was able to fall without injury. Ray, being the one legged man in an ass kicking contest that he was, managed to fall into Meg. Meg, trying to walk while helping Ray... Well she went back, with Ray on top of her. The hoe pierced her back through her lungs and heart. Ray on top of her, the ends came out of the front of her chest and managed to dig into his. He lived, Meg wasn't going to last more than a minute. RIP Meg... Go see Sid...
The shaking of Newnan happened just before Tiffany was about to make her jump. It caused her footing ti slip slightly. She made the jump and was able to grab onto Jack but her feet didn't hit the edge on the other side. It was going to be a struggle to get her for as Jack grabbed her they both fell. Jack thankfully against the crumbling concrete of the street. He was able to keep a hold of her a she hung over the ravine below and slammed against the broken side. She was cut up a good bit but was going to be able to hold on. Jack would be able to pull her out.
Faith... Well we knew this was coming. We have been waiting on it. Nathan and Alena were able to make their way up along side the woman, keeping her in sight as they did. "Time to stop the pursuit and have fun my dear. Remember the rules: Scare her, make her scream, make her beg, then end her," he said as he brought his riffle up and took aim through his scope. Squeezing the trigger the sound echoed out but it wasn't loud enough, thanks to the silencer, for it to be heard anymore than a pop that sounded like every other branch cracking in the area. The sound blended well enough to cover the shot and the bullet tore through Faiths right calf muscle.
Taking aim again, he squeezed the trigger again and sent another bullet into her right thigh. Another into her left shoulder. His Vietnam days coming back to mind, his sniper skills still as sharp as ever. In fact he had gotten better since his prime. He was more patience these days than he used to be. "Do your thing." Nathan lowered his rifle and slung it over his shoulder. He was going to sit back and enjoy the show.
Up to you two how you want to finish this. Nallore gets the kill in this one as per the dice. You two can collab it out, treat as you would a case - 7 day counter to bring Faith to her death.
Gavin, Thana, & Lola
Location: The Meeting
Lola looked over towards Alexander and cackled slightly. "Danger? Shit mate, danger is aces in my book. What's the point of surviving if you ain't gonna live? Let's cause some hell," Lola said as she clapped her hands together and rubbed them vigorously. It was a wonder that she had survived as long as she had since the world was turned up side down, yet the way she was giggling about going and blowing people up, it was a wonder how she survived even before the end of the world came. It was like every chance she got to do something stupid, she did it. She had no idea what she was going to be up against, she didn't care. Run, run, run to the danger. She probably would have been a drunken dwarf barbarian level one tank in a DnD campaign asking some pugilist to fart her into a swarm of undead. (And with the luck she had to have to survive this long, it probably would have worked.)
Thana didn't glance back towards Ash, just keeping her eyes facing forward as she muttered something under her breath that was unintelligible. Gavin looked over towards Ash and chuckled. "Aww hell, only things I got to worrys abouts is Strawberry," he said before turning his attention back to the small group they had going. It seemed like everyone was in for this run and Gavin was feeling a darkness taking over him. It was something he kept buried most of the time but with someone as happy and go lucky as he was, there was bound to be a reverse to it. He had seen what these people had done to one girl, heard what else they had done. They were going down like a drunken prom date.
Lola jumped up and down like a giddy school girl as Thalia agreed they could go play. "Fucking aces! Okay, who's riding with me? Climb in! Country, I'll follow ya! Any road blocks, just move and me and my baby will clear the way," she giggled as she spun around in place. "Oh right, introductions. I'm Lola!" she added as she darted for her tank and climbed inside. She wasn't about to hold things up, she wanted to move. It was time to play.
Thana looked over at Thalia and nodded slightly. "Same boat. Lt. Commander Martin," she said in a stoic voice before grabbing a pack out of the back of the truck and climbing into the passenger front seat of the cab. Ripping it open she started rummaging through it. Gavin cocked a brow, he was glad she grabbed one of his bags. He wasn't sure how Beatrice would have taken him going through hers or Ryans stuff.
"Hey, a kiwi. Okay, names Gavin, Comfort if you want. Texas Ranger. Okay, pile in y'all. Let's get this show on the road," he said before looking over towards Beatrice and grinning at her. "So, where you hangin' yer hat during this little trist?" he asked as he climbed into the driver seat of James pickup truck and started it up.
Coughing roughly Gavin spat out the mouth full of dirt and snow that had filled his mouth. His curls dripping with cold red Georgia slush as he scrambled to get on his knees. "Strawberry! Christ on a crack her girl, yous okay? Says something!" he yelled as he grabbed the limp body next to his and started shaking the shit out of the equally mush covered Naval Lieutenant Commander. "Thana!" he yelled in her face. She didn't seem to be breathing, her body was like a rag doll in his grip as he laid her back down and started to try to do CPR on her. Granted he didn't know what the hell he was doing. He killed people, he didn't save them. That was Ravi's job. He tried though, he had watched enough tv before the world went to shit right? Still as he blew into her mouth and then acted like a hammer on her chest she hadn't moved. From the looks of things, the curse of Ash had struck again....
180 seconds earlier....
"Here kitty kitty kitty," Tatiana called out. Slowly walking behind her house and following the damn orange tabby. He had been scratching at the door to her and Jack's house, meowing loudly after Jack left. Opening the door once she had crawled out of bed she looked at Schrödinger as he pawed quickly down her front steps. "Come on, come inside," she said as she stood there waiting for the cat to get his act together and come inside.
Yet he wasn't having any of it. He just sat down and meowed loudly. Tatiana was about to just turn around and go back to bed but every time she tried Schrödinger came closer to her. Slipping her boots on that were by the door she cringed a bit but she managed. Working her way down the stairs to just go and pick up the damn cat and bring him in. She wouldn't get any rest with him meowing constantly. Yet, every step she took near him he took one away. If she backed up he came towards her again. Apparently this was a cat and mouse game and she was the mouse right then.
Getting out of the Hordebuster Thana drew her side arm and held is low as she started to make her way over to the group. "Yes and no... Long story Wall Dick," Ryan called out as he smirked and hopped off the hood of the truck. Him and Ash had never been on the best of terms but having Ash and the Hordebuster show up right then to him was a good thing. It gave them a bit more leverage.
Lola spun around and looked at the large truck and her jaw went slack. "Well fuck me Mate, that is a fucking sweet piece of rolling metal!" she called out towards Ash. Ryan rolled his eyes a bit. Nothing seemed to phase this woman.
"Jack! Jack! It's okay!" Froggy yelled out as he tore out from the infirmary and into the vestibule of the main building. Sid was close behind him, having come in from the medical garden to store that days harvest of medicinal herbs and such.
"God damn it! Beni! Get that fucking dog under control!" Jim yelled as he landed on his ass in the armory.
"Sorry man, she won't stop barking and keeps running off," Beni quickly said apologizing for the way Peaches was tearing around the place.
"What the fuck!" Mike screamed as he started running out from the back of the kitchen. "Get out of here!" he yelled as he grabbed the fire extinguisher to put out a fire that only he could see.
More and more through out the town people were starting to freak out. Seeing things that were not there, hearing things that couldn't be heard. The place was turning into chaos quickly.
"Not eat today?" Gavin asked as he stepped over towards Thana and heard a low growl.
Thana shook her head, quirking a brow. "That wasn't me..." she said turning her head.
120 seconds earlier....
Tatiana froze just outside of the Distillery as a feeling of dread took over her senses. Was she hearing things? There was low grumbling sound echoing around her. Then she hit her knees as the ground shook. This wasn't a hallucination, she wished it was. No, this was real and everyone within a mile radius of Newnan would feel it. Those from the west coast would know this feeling, earthquakes were common out there and this was one had to be nearing a six on the richter scale. But earthquakes didn't hit Georgia... Did they?
The former ballerina had never felt one since she had been within the state yet there she was on her knees as the ground shook around her. The walls of Newnan were wobbling as if they were ripples in the water. Schrödinger meowed at her as rubble started to fall from the tops of the buildings, his fur raising on his back and his claws digging into the ground. "Schrödinger, here kitty!" she yelled as she stumbled to her feet and did as best she could to chase the cat as it took off towards the distillery.
Medic fell on his rear end in Franklins mini armory, Lyon grabbing onto the counter to keep his balance. "What the fuck is happening?" Medic yelled as Lyon grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him out of the room.
"We've got to get out of here!" the Frenchman yelled. It was the last time Medic heard Lyons voice as the ceiling crashed in on the mans head and ended his life on this earth. What happened to Medic, one can't be sure, we still can't find him.
Lola's knees bent slightly to keep her balance as she spun around. It wasn't hitting them as hard as it was Newnan but she felt it and it made her stomach do a flip. Ryan gulped slightly as he turned and looked over towards Beatrice, this wasn't good and the intensity of what was happening was only growing.
The vision before Chloe just smirked. "See you shortly," Ryan said before he was gone and the vibrations increased dramatically, causing the pull of the trigger and Chloe to do exactly what she threatened to do. Her body dropping to the ground as her brains splattered out on the wall behind her. Her body dropping like a lead weight in the ocean.
Victor grabbed Jack with the help of Sid and proceeded to drag him towards the door, shoving him outside as the world began to tumble down around them. A billowing of clouds rising from the debris. What happened to Froggy, no one call tell. There is no time to search the rubble as Newnan crumbles around them. The vision Jack had been seeing is no longer there but what is before his eyes is even worse than he could have ever imagined. Sids lifeless face dripping from blood and covered with dust from the rubble stared blankly from between the cracks of the rubble that had crushed his body.
60 seconds earlier....
In the Southwest corner of Newnan the ground opened up and everything above it fell into a chasm below. Fissures cracked in the ground and spread out like glass shattering. What was going on? Well it was a common thing in South Georgia but something that didn't happen often this far north, yet it was not unheard of. Lime Sinks. They could give away at any minute, causing the ground to collapse and take everything that was sitting on the surface with it.
Thana knew the feeling, Albany had the huge lime sink on third avenue over by Phoebe. After the flood of '94, it wasn't uncommon for parts of the city to open up and just swallow a building of three in the process. "Oh shit..." she muttered as she looked over towards James, she knew he would know the feeling as well. One didn't have to live on the west coast before to know this feeling. Anyone that grew up near Albany knew it wasn't always a seismic shift that caused this type of quaking.
Years of a town sitting on top of lime, wearing down by the flow of water thanks to the high water table. The recent snow, contracting the ground and now it expanding. It had burst long unused gas pipes. That was why people were losing their shit. That was why the ground was quaking. That was why the town of Newnan was now falling. Yet the damage wasn't done yet.
All over Newnan the breaking of the ground did help clear out a lot of the low lying unscented gas that was causing the hallucinations but they were far favorable to the buildings currently being swallowed up by Mother Earth. Buildings were crumbling, people were screaming trying to run but where to? So many exits were cut off! The wall was falling around Newnan as more and more cracks in the earth opened up and swallowed what was there.
Tatiana ran after Schrödinger, her knees buckling with each step she took, and scooped the cat up. Inside the Distillery the stills were getting shook to high heaven. It was a recipe for booze normally, right then it was a recipe for disaster. As she grabbed the cat by the back of the Distillery, it all came to a head. She heard the hissing, spotted the smoke starting to billow up from inside. Turning on her heels she started to run with everything she had but was it enough? Was she fast enough? We may never know. All we do know is suddenly there was a atomic like explosion from within the building and a mushroom cloud of Virginian booze that broke up from the building and into the atmosphere.
Mike tore over towards Kris and Tiffany trying to get to them as the Mess Hall split down the center. He got to Kris but he shouldn't have. As the ground opened up beneath them and the ceiling came crashing down from above. Kris and Mike were gone. Tiffany had just barely escaped the falling from above. The force sending her back on the floor and across the room. She was injured, bruised and battered but she was alive.
Those in the armory were not so lucky. The building didn't split, it was simply engulfed. Beni, Jim, and poor Peaches were swallowed beneath a metric ton of rubble and devoured as ammunition and the small store of explosives went kaboom.... Fire broke out from between the pieces of crumbled concrete. If there is a god, if he is merciful they died in the fall instead of being trapped beneath and burned alive...
Guy jumped from the wall and onto the ground but with everything falling no one could tell if he made it or not. The graveyard was nearly surrounded by open parts of ground spanning over ten feet wide and three times as deep. Meg, Amelia, and Ray were alive, still being shook as the collapse of Newnan continued but there was a way out for them. To the east, the wall had fallen but the spread of the ground opening was not way. Towards the North, the South, and The West - nothing. There was no way to get back into Newnan.
20 seconds earlier....
While the world crumbled down around the citizens of Newnan it didn't mean that those meeting for the first time were left unscathed. Newnan itself got a large chunk of the devastation and while the ground opened up for a bit to the north and to the east... To the south and to the west is continued for over a mile. It continuing like cracks in the ice on a pond.
"Mother Dick!" Lola screamed as she half way ducked when the explosion went off in Newnan and the mushroom cloud billowed up above the tree line. She was still trying to keep her footing as the ground began to shake even more where they all were. Grabbing Thalia by the back of her collar she jerked her back and onto the ground with her. "Jet!" she yelled as she did and the two ended up back over by the tank.
Ryans head snapped around as the trees started to toppled towards Newnan. "Oh shit..." was all he was able to get out before he sprinted towards Beatrice and shoved her out of the way. The ground opening up beneath him and where Bea had just been standing. Ryan was gone and his body would be able to be seen in the rubble of the open chasm below, snapped and broken, and no more.
Gavin tackled Thana as the ground around them started to splinter, sending the two of them into the ditch and snow bank off near where he had just recently walked up from. If he hadn't, she would have have had the same fate as James, who sadly had perished as Ryan did. Exiled or not, it didn't matter. The Black Neck had met the very fate he figured he was going to that morning when he turned himself into Ash. Exile hadn't saved him, it had only delayed things...
The funeral home was shaking, boards coming off the windows on the main floor, the upper floor windows shattering from the movement. Yet all things considering it was in far better condition than the buildings that were just a few blocks south. The worst of it had hit Newnan Proper. Riley, Niesha, and Ravi were alive, even if the event had caused Chloe to pull a trigger she might not have but either way it didn't matter now.
It didn't really matter for any of them. So many were dead. So many were missing. And while the cloud of gas had cleared out enough to breath really again, it was still there and who knew how long it would. The buildings were still crumbling, the fires were spreading. And all of this was getting the attention of walkers for miles around. There was no going back and to stay would mean certain death. Newnan had fallen and only a select few survived. There were ones missing but they are only listed as such because their bodies cannot be found yet with all the destruction, that isn't surprising.
Back To Now...
There was a sharp gasp and Thana sat straight up, looking around frantically as Gavin fell back onto his rear end. "Oh sweet Jesus, thank you God!" Gavin spat out as he leaned forward and grabbed Thana by the shoulders and pulled her in for a bear hug from hell. He was shaking like a leaf even though the ground was settling and the quaking was ceasing.
Thana sat there stunned before pushing him off of her and jumping to her feet, rushing over but she felt Gavin grab her again from behind and thankfully he did so because she nearly went head long right into the very crack in the earth that had just stolen the lives of James and Ryan. "Whoa girl!" he yelled as they stumbled back. Thana was looking around frantically.
"ASH!!!" she screamed, her eyes looking for the Hordebuster and seeing it was still there.
"Everyone okay?" Gavin bellowed as he wrapped an arm around Thana and slowly started to show her the way around the cracks in the ground. The group was now split with the way the ground cut through them. Ash was by himself over with the Hordebuster but the rest that were still breathing with the truck and the tank.
"Ash!" Thana yelled again as Lola coughed and rolled onto her back.
"What the fuck was that..." the Kiwi muttered as she stared up at the sky. "Jet, ya dead?" she said in a cough. "Gramps, you still kicking?"
"Bea, you breathing?" Gavin asked as he let go of Thana and knelt down by the woman offering her a hand.
Thana was pushing her hair out of her face as she slowly approached the open spot which had swallowed Ryan and James and her lips thinned. "Rest in peace James Grady..." she said quietly before her eyes darted back up and towards the Hordebuster. "Answer me right now Ashton Holloway! You answer me right now! That's an order soldier!"
Elsewhere....
"Now Alena, remember. As much as we would love to take a few back to Adamm this is run to find supplies. The winter left us scarce and we just can afford another mouth to feed. Not that we would but you get the idea. We have orders, so we follow what the Father says," Nathan said as he took long strides along the edge of the shopping center. His light eyes were covered by his sunglasses and even if they weren't they would have showed no emotion.
Not even when the ground shook just in the slightest. His brow did arch, wondering what it was. Looking over as a mushroom cloud could be seen miles off in the distance a Machiavellian like smile came to his lips. "Always play the long game darling, things pay off in the end," he said with a cruel laugh. Then something caught his eye. "Allo, allo, allo... What is this?" he said as he pulled his rifle up and looked through the scope. Spotting Faith a couple of hundred yards in front of them.
"Well we aren't supposed to bring anyone back but that doesn't mean we cannot have a bit of sport. It has been so long since we tracked someone and had a little fun. Alena, time to wheel this one in. Shall we go introduce ourselves?" he said as he lowered his riffle and smirked, motioning for her to lead the way.
Teriny Inn: Calum gave a half chuckle and rubbed his face. Slowly and carefully, he finally got up off the floor and straightened himself up as best he could. How his clothing managed to stay as intact as he was... It was a mystery in and of itself on both fronts.
"Glad ya enjoyed it, e'er stop back by these parts do stop in and say hallow," Nigel said with a broad grin before looking over towards Calum who was dusting the dirt off his hat, nearly toppling over a candle on the bartop in the process. "Good luck lass," Nigel finally added before shaking his head and chuckling as he walked off to tend to the rest of his morning duties.
"Well, then shall we be off? Big day ahead of us," Calum said as he finally placed the hat back on his head and tucked his bible beneath his arm. "Do ya need any help gathering your things to load up into the carriage?" he asked, more than willing to help Maeve but chances were if he touched her luggage it might just spontaneously catch on fire or turn to dust, or go out the window three rooms down, or get caught in the rafters, or lord only knew what else.
London, England
The Glimmeric: Thomas turned and came rushing down the street, nearly skidding out on his worn soles as he rounded the corner. Righting himself he ran over to Michael and Francis. "Constable, will be a while," he said gasping for breath. "Lot of death, a dozen murders this morning down by the docks. All down there, only one left in the area, is patrolling, can't leave post," he added, his words breaking due to his running and being so winded. "Asked us to move body to physicians to get out of road."
It was an odd request but not uncommon in the area. There had been more than one occasion when a riot had broken out in London and all the local law enforcement had to deal with such and bodies had to wait. The local physician, if one could even be called that, was one block over. A Dr. Nuetermyre. An older chap who most questioned if he had ever attended a school of medicine. If you became ill in this area you either tended to it yourself, hired another physician, or prayed. All were better options than Dr. Nuetermyre. At this point he was there for one reason and one reason alone. Bodies. Untertaking. Selling to the medical schools dearly departed with no family ties.
Michael nodded a bit. "Very well, go get the cart from behind the shop Thomas. I'lls wheel the Lord over to Nuetermyre's," Michael said as he started to roll his sleeves up.
"Well least it can't get any worse for the bloaty bloke," Thomas said before heading down the side of the Butcher shop to retrieve the cart. Glancing over at Francis Michael tried to give the woman a smile.
"Why don't you go ahead and go about your day. If the constable needs anything once he shows up, I can fetch you. No needs to be standings out here waitin' fer hours," he said trying to assure her that he would take care of as best he could. "Whys not stop bys the shops laters? got some fresh cuts in this morning's. Be happies to gives the girls a treat this evenin's after everythangs."
Russian Imperial Circus Tent City (Regent Park): Have you ever heard of the expression that is something can go wrong it will? That bad things come in threes? Well that is the case here.
1) As Constantin is rushing out on the ice to get to the whole were Elizaveta plummeted into the freezing waters below he slips. This is no ordinary slip, this slip is one that came from the depths of hell. He slipped, sprawled out, legs wrenching out in unnatural ways. Spinning like a top on his heels until the muscular tendons could take no more and snapped back sending him like an elastic band onto his back and causing his skull to bounce on the icy surface like a ping pong ball against a paddle. The momentum didn't stop, only serving to spin his body like a top along the ice until he finally came to a stop at the ices edge nearly plummeting into the waters himself. Groin - beyond strained. Head - feeling like he just got cracked with a baseball bat. Dazed and confused? To say the least.
2) Vlad is doing no better. As his fists pound on the ice, his blade trying to cut through it. So much worry, so much adrenaline, so much... Shit! The thick fog leaving everything wet. This makes a bad situation worse. As he drives the blade down to the ice, trying to cut and break through the surface to break free is when everything goes wrong. The blade not only does NOT get through the ice. It ricochets off of it, the handle coming free from the Great Bazhooli's grasp. It flips with all the grace of a new born calf into the air and the tip of the metal is coming right for him! There is no time to react. God if there only were. It hits him right between the eyes, but thankfully with a final flip. The hilt of the blade knocked Vlad back a good ten feet from Myska, leaving him sprawled out on the ice and his blade skidding to his left another twenty feet. His forehead now holding a stunning ~dent~ that may remain for the rest of his life.
3) Myska at this point is... screwed. The ice has not been chipped away enough for the tiger to break free and it is obvious that things are affecting him. Despite his heavy coat of fur, being in the ice and half submerged into icy water he is starting to get the a mild case of frost bite setting in that is likely only to get worse. He is thrashing around, his front claws trying to scratch away at the surface but he is slowing down. His strength and speed seem to be broken by a good ten percent already. How much longer can he remain in the ice before he is no longer of use to the Grand Duchess? Not long if things continue this way.
And what of Veta? No one knows at this point. She is far below the waters surface and what streams of bubbles were coming to the surface at a steady rate are spreading out. Each bubble that breaks the surface is smaller and there is more time between it and the next and the next. And unlike Constantin and Vlad - she does not possess Fal'shbort. She is not tougher, stronger, more Russian. She is a dainty princess for the love of god! You had better do something fast or you won't be saving this princess from any castle!
Westminster Hospital: Pulling up to the front of Westminster Hospital, the doorman rushed over to open the carriage door. Emma's hand rested lightly in his as she stepped out of the carriage and shot Gerard a look that mirrored many a look her mother had given Gerard anytime she had caught him and Millicent enjoying each others company. "Tend to the carriage, he shall return shortly," Emma told the doorman. "Come on. You are to take Millicent home and finish preparations for our departure," Emma said in an impatient voice as she gathered the length of her dress and headed up the front steps.
Making her way quickly through the hospitals lobby and up to the second floor she made a beeline for her mothers private room. The door was open and inside there was Mrs. Wyndham. She was sitting up, well partially. A pile of pillows were behind her back and she was belittling the so called nurse over the quality of her meal. "But Mrs. Wyndham, it is doctors orders that you remain on nothing but liquids for the time being. You must regain your strength," the nurse said in a nearly defeated voice before taking notice of the new arrivals. "Miss Jones, good morning. Are you here to sit with your mother?"
"Yes yes. I am taking over for Millicent, where has that bluestocking run off too? Reading to the lepers I bet instead of sitting here and keeping mother company," Emma snapped as she took a seat next to the bed. This caused a silence to fall over the room as both the nurse and Mrs. Wyndham exchanged looks of confusion between the two of them. Emma rose a slightly intrigued brow. "What?"
"Emma, Milli hasn't been here," Mrs. Wyndham stated rather quickly before shooing off the nurse.
"Mother, are you sure you are not just dazed from the trauma? Milli took the carriage Lord Rutherford sent me home in last night to come take over for me. I was to relieve her before lunch, so here I am. You have been alone this entire time?" Emma asked as she rested her hand on her mothers. The two started berating Millicent right then and there. Going on about how selfish she must be to not have shown up to sit with Mrs. Wyndham and how if she has run off to avoid her obligations they would never forgive her.
Upstairs on the third floor Dr. Graham sighed as he tossed his glasses onto the desk. "They care only for their perceived honor and when it comes to women of marriage they see them as nothing more than property as the law dictates. The loss of a wife is no more than the loss of an old stallion that has long been put out to pasture," he said before rubbing the bridge of his nose.
At the mention of the banns her cocked a brow. "The banns. That could work, if there are ever any posted," Dr. Graham added as he sat up and laced his fingers together. Resting his joined hands on the desk he looked towards Fyror as his lips thinned. "There were no banns posted for Lord Rutherfords last marriage. He refused to wait. The night of the engagement he rushed the poor girl off to Gretna Green to marry. There was no chance for anyone to protest the marriage or for her to cry off the engagement. By the time anyone knew she was gone... It was too late. She was already his lawfully wedded wife in the eyes of the law and god."
St. Etheldreda's: "Yes yes, this world needs me about as much as a skinned knee needs a blood letting," she said quickly as she sat down and pulled out her archives. "Nevertheless, I shall have this recorded before you leave. Return to retrieve it when you are ready, now out of my archives so that I might work in peace," she said with quill in hand.
Adam looked over to Mary and nodded, his arms coming from around himself to take Sister Mary's hand. His hand was warm to the touch even though he had appeared cold a moment ago. "Oh yes, some food sounds wonderful," he said as his mood seemed to switch. Walking out of the room Adam glanced around as they headed towards the kitchen. The young boy hadn't realized how hungry he was until now but it seemed that food would have to wait a bit more. Sister Alma came around the corner carrying an arm full of clothing.
"Sister Mary, there you are," she said surprised. It was obvious that the old nun had completely forgotten the fact that Mary had stated where she was going and when, so the fact they were crossing paths now was a complete surprise to Alma. "I was able to find a few things in the donations that were waiting to go to the local orphanage." Alma had obviously forgotten what size the boy was or that Adam even was a boy - for in all the clothing she had brought with her there were items for children as young as four years of age and dresses for girls. Thankfully though as she held out the arm load of items there was at least some slacks and a shirt that looked like they would fit Adam. Not perfectly, for there would be a little bit of available growing room, but nice enough for now. The best part was the only pair of shoes would actually fit the child until a pair could be made for him personally.
Crypt Manor: Peter looked more than relieved that Virginia did not seem to be upset over the matter at hand. His grip finally easing up a bit on the brim of his hat. If he kept wringing it the way he was it was going to wear through to nothing but frayed threads at this rate. "Yes Lady Crypt. Thank you. I will get to work on that right now," he said quickly before excusing himself and heading back out into the garden.
He would need to take a quick trip to the garden's shed to retrieve some containers to place samples in as well as his tools. He was not exactly sure what all she would need but he felt it was better to bring too much and far to large of samples than not enough. Some of the water from fountain, mud and brick chunk from beneath the waters surface, clippings of each dead plant and flower on the estate. It was going to take sometime. The wheelbarrow in hand with the items he collected from the shed resting in the base of it he moved as quickly as he could from one point of the gardens to the other.
The London Docks: As Thalken looked at the bodies, he would notice several things. One, all of them were young adults and teen agers. None of them were high born from the look of their clothing or hygiene. In fact he might have seen one of two of them running around the docks. None of them had been killed in a Soulless Manner it seemed. There was strangulation, stabbing, even one or two that were shot.
The interesting thing was the way the bodies were laid out. Each one seemed to have a purpose. Each pointing to the next until it got to the pile of bodies. It was odd but the more Thalken stared the more something was going to jump out to him. From his underworld dealings, each one was a known place where his father had conducted business before. Hyde Park, the Market at Cheapside, all the way to Almacks. The pile of bodies seemed to represent Almacks. The number of bodies in the pile matched the number of living that had died at Alamcks the night before. One body from Almacks pointed towards where if this was placed out on a map would be The Strand. Yet there wasn't a body at that location, just a puddle of blood.
Hyde Park Inn: The messenger took the letter and was quickly on his way. Thankfully it was just a hop, skip, and a jump through Green Park & St. James Park to get to the Westminster Hospital. While that many blocks normally would have taken a good hour to traverse with the crowds of London, with parks it was far easier to move. Less people and less congestion. Not to mention that this morning, the Gentry and the Peers between the Hyde Park Residents and Buckingham Palace were not out and about in droves for morning visits as they normally were. With the attack on Almack's the night before, most people that were out were messengers canceling visits for the day or announcements of funerals for those that had died. It was servants day it seemed when one looked around.
Within half an hour, the messenger was back - a bit winded - but back. Note in hand. Sir Kildragon. That is brilliant to hear. Please make your way over here post haste then. I have much to discuss with you and it is vital that I do before you make a visit to see the Wyndham Family. Please do hurry if you are able. I hope your family is well and I look forward to your visit. I will leave an escort for you at the front reception area. Dr. Graham. The messenger looked up at Fyror as he caught his breath. "Shall I take word back to the doctor, Sir?" he asked, wondering if he was about to make another trek through the parks. He had enjoyed the ride to the hospital on his horse but the doctor had made it clear this message needed to be delivered to Sir Kildragon as quickly as possible and he had triple timed it back, including running from the stables. "Or shall I prepare your horse Sir?"
"God damnit, James!" screamed Ash, his service pistol inches away from the other man's skull. Thana stood there just behind Ash watching the scene unfold, this wasn't right. Ash seemed to have lost it, a crazed look in his eye mixed with sorrow.
"Captain," she said in a calm voice but one of authority: not that she had any in this place but she was hoping just to get through to him. To have him hear something beyond his grief.
His voice got quieter, but not by much. "You're my best friend. I fucking love you, man." Ash's gun did not waver, though, aimed solidly and point blank at James's cranium as he knelt in the icy slush. Determination held in the Captain's face as his hand tensed to pull the trigger.
Reaching out Thana placed her hand on Ash's shoulder from behind as she stepped closer. Speaking in a soft caring voice. "Ash... Don't." The shot fired just after dawn in the small town in the morning of the fifteenth: the shot heard through Newnan.
Three Hours Earlier....
James roused himself as he slipped over sideways from his sitting position on the couch. Of course he would have slept on the couch. Made perfect sense. It's not like he had a perfectly serviceable bed just upstairs. But in fairness, it had been a long and somewhat trying day just a few hours ago, and it hadn't been the first time that a late nap turned into a long night's sleep.
The vintage image of Mickey Mouse, held captive behind the clear plastic faceplate of a wind-up timekeeping device, informed him in its own mute, contortionist's manner that the time was swiftly approaching 4:30 a.m. It was near enough to time for him to get up anyway, that trying to go back to sleep was pointless. Not too long from now his duties with pigs and farmland would require his attention; the people of Newnan needed to eat. The fact that he was mostly dressed just made getting ready a little easier. So, after pulling on his coat, boots, and hat, he grabbed his personal tools and stepped lightly out of his front door. The plan was simple - grab a little breakfast at the Mess Hall first, then book it to grab some equipment at Agriculture. Maybe they were in there right now making a huge bucket of Sweet Cream & Swine Ass. That would hit the spot. Only one way to find out.
James walked down Spring Street toward LaGrange, a slight bounce in his step. Today was indeed a new day with new possibilities. The first possibility was food. Always a good choice, in his opinion. As he rounded the corner to head toward Mess, he noticed a single piece of paper flapping in the cold, damp wind, held to the door of the "Reject's Housing" with a single piece of scotch tape. It was only a matter of time before the note pulled free of its adhesive anchor, and so quite the coincidence that it happened to do just that as James was passing by.
Ever the good neighbor (even to the people who lived here), James jogged up to the fleeing sheet of paper, even as it threatened to completely blow away. He snatched it up, unfolded the now useless tape as best he could, and returned to the home of Chloe, Richard, and Ryan. He could maybe slip the note under the door and be on his way. Or maybe there was a mail slot. However it went down, he was going to get the damn thing where it needed to go. James unfolded it to try to push it under the door, unintentionally skimming its contents in the process.
Richard, I just can't do this anymore. I thought I could but I can't. I thought if I gave you enough time things would even out but I saw the way you looked at her. It was the same way you look at me from time to time, all the time. You don't see me, you see her. They say time heals everything but I'm still waiting. I'm through with doubt. There's nothing left for me to figure out. I paid a price to be close to you and I can't keep paying it. I can't keep being battered inside and out every time you look at me and see her. I know you've said you'd get over it. It's turned my world around and I can't take it anymore. I lost everything I cared about but I hoped we could move on together. Leaving isn't an option. I will forever have what if in the back of my mind. What if I had waited just one more day. It's the same what if I have used as a crutch to stay near you all these months. I'll never be able to move on as long as there is a tomorrow. It's best if there is none.
Love, Sana
Then he began to run.
A very short time later found him at the home of Sana and Bryn, just outside of the Inner Wall. The previous occupants, Bridgette and Astrid, had constructed a crude log wall around their house a while ago, but unless there was an emergency the present occupants rarely kept the gate barred. This time, it was left fully open. James dashed around it and made his way to the back of the house; the girls almost never locked the back door. It swung open easily, like it always did, admitting the terror-stricken blackneck into a dark and quiet house. There was a sense of stillness that was undeniably offputting. Carefully but quickly, James made his way through the shadowy corridor to Sana's room, poised to knock respectfully on her door; only to find that the door was, like the gate outside, wide open. Respectful be damned, James reached his arm inside and flicked on the light. He immediately wished he hadn't.
Blood covered Sana's bed. It covered the dresser beside her bed, the floor; a knife lay in a pool of the sticky, drying fluid, obviously the offending tool that facilitated the explosion of crimson. The most troubling part of this was, despite the massive amount of blood everywhere, her body was nowhere in sight. James looked down. The blood was not just in a puddle, nor series of puddles. There was a trail of the awful stuff (that James actually had to walk through to get into the room) leading back out and down the hallway. In the direction of the other bedroom.
James drew his woodaxe from the tool loop on the side of his overalls. "No. Not Bryn." he said aloud, sprinting down to her room. The door was already open. There was almost as much blood in here as in Sana's room. But this one was occupied. The bled-white corpse of Sana knelt, hunched over the still not yet cold body of Agnes Brynja Johannsson. Her eyes were widened in pain and horror, half of the flesh from her neck and some from her face missing. The thing that used to be Sana Rouen had just chewed off another piece of skin, ripping back until it gave away to spring from Bryn's body and snap into her quite undead face, only to be taken into her mouth one mandible contraction at a time. James stood in mute horror, watching the scene unfold. Then the creature noticed him.
"I'm sorry, baby." he whispered, gathering his courage and driving the head of his axe deep into Sana's skull before she could fully regain her feet. Her corpse slumped to the floor, bereft of both life and the hideous unlife that plagued them. James walked to the other side of Bryn's bed and took a knee beside it, gazing into her eyes one last time. She was his friend. They both were, but she was slowly revealing herself to have an actual sense of humor. Bryn had opened up to him, made real social progress. And now she would make no more. He drew his hand over her face, closing bloodshot eyes. Hand still in place, James drew his knife and brought the blade into the base of her cranium. He gave it an extra shove and twist, just to make sure the job was done, and stood.
Lightheaded and emotionally compromised, James faltered two steps backward before tripping over his own feet and falling to the floor. He didn't bother to get up. So he just sat there, alone in the dim light, with the slain corpses of two of his friends. Numbness overtook him, insulating him from the horror he had just witnessed and taken part in. But it didn't last. He stayed right there for an indeterminate amount of time, staring at the floor in silence. Then he wept. Long and immersive; it felt like hours. Tears that had been kept from the light for a long time sprang up now, purging themselves from the man who was, up until recently, The Eternal Optimist.
Slowly, a realization dawned on him. Sana may have taken her own life, but there was someone who drove her to it with sadistic indifference. This directly led to his friend getting eaten by her risen corpse. It was he same moody, coward-child that only got to live because the person James cared most about in the world died protecting him. Alicia died for nothing. Less than nothing. She died so that a cancer could fester in Newnan, left untreated out of some stupid expectation that her sacrifice somehow made him worth it, that somehow that walking sack of monkey shit would screw himself together into someone useful, maybe with a grand destiny above spreading more pain and difficulty in an already painfully difficult time. But he wasn't worth the skin it took to keep his organs on the inside. And if he was allowed to remain, more people would die. Someone had to do something.
In the dark of the morning's small hours, the shadowy silhouette of an axe-wielding man wearing a stetson might be witnessed emerging from an otherwise uninhabited house on Spring St. He strode with undiverted purpose, a single word repeating over and over in his mind. As he entered the Inner Wall, the word growled quietly from him. It was only once, and he ceased making any sound following it.
"Richard..."
One Hour Earlier....
The sun had not yet risen but the first rays of the new day had arrived. The sky was clear that morning and the temperature was rising. It was a balmy forty degrees already and if the trend continued it would be well into the sixties by two that afternoon. The above freezing temperature had started the inevitable melt. A few drops at first but before long the gentle cascade of water from the roof's of the buildings created the soft sound of droplets along the windowsills and ground. The cool blue and gray light of predawn broke through the windows of Ash's home. The house lay silent, a vast change from the night before. The fire that had burned had turned to embers and there was a morning chill in the air. Beneath the covers of the Captains bed there was only one body sleeping. The other long vacated from the warmth of the sheets and shared body heat.
The room was still and other than Ash himself, empty. Clothing that had been tossed to the ground missing and there were no signs that anyone else had been there; save one item. A set of dog tags resting on the night stand besides two empty bottles of water. Through out the house, the rest of the signs of his guest were nearly gone as well. The dress she had worn to the wedding was hung up in its garment bag hanging on a mirror. The pack she had come with and the one she was given was gone as well. There were a few signs she had been though but was no longer there. In the kitchen the pot of coffee from the day before was minus one cup and was cold as the rest of the house. In the sink was a cleaned plate, her dinner from the night before finished and cleaned up. Other than that, it seemed she had departed sometime before sunrise, the cat with her: who was currently prowling around the repair shop.
Ash himself roused slowly to his otherwise empty bed and otherwise empty house. He sighed, giving a melancholy smile to the growing grey outside of his windows. From the look of things, Thana was gone. Whether it was just to look around or to leave Newnan entirely, he could not say. Still, his heart weighed heavily with the thought that she had left without at least giving a goodbye. For the first time in a great while, he had connected with someone. And immediately after, he was alone. He looked around his house, but the only trace of her seemed to be her dog tags, left in his bedroom. He picked them up and stared at them for a while, his tiny, sad smile returning as he thought of her.
He pocketed the tags and returned downstairs. Ash had a trying day ahead of him, having to deal with the aftermath of the drama from last night, rearranging the Leads of Newnan, and the managerial duties of keeping the community safe and fed. It was still too early to officially "clock in", as it were; generally he took this time to get a run in. The length of the Wall would suffice for today. Clear his head. He opened his front door and stepped outside into Newnan. "Wondered when you would finally wake up," Thana said from the front step as she turned around and glanced over her shoulder. Standing up she palmed an empty cup of coffee in one hand and the other rubbed her arm a bit to try to warm up. "Been stuck out here nearly an hour, damn door."
"Thana!" he said with some surprise. He had been so concerned with guarding his own emotions that he hadn't quite prepared for the possibility that she would be right outside of his door. His voice was half concern, half relief as he continued, "Come inside, come inside. Get warmed up." Yeah, he could definitely skip his run for the day. "I've got a little while before I'm expected. Oh!" he reached into his pocket and pulled out her dog tags, "I was hoping I'd run into you. I think you forgot these." He held out his hand to her, one foot in the doorway to prevent its closing.
Reaching out Thana chuckled and took the dog tags, letting her hand linger in his for a moment before pulling it away and slipping them back around her neck. Tucking them beneath her shirt she shook her head a bit as she stepped back inside. "Nah, didn't forget them. Just had... Other things on my mind," she said in a coy voice as she set the coffee cup down on a table. Glancing over to him out of the corner of her eyes she gave a soft smile. "Like you either need to A, assign me my own bunk or B." Her voice stopped as she turned to face him, her arms wrapping around herself as she rubbed them vigorously trying to warm herself up. "Give me a key to that damn door so this doesn't happen again." Seemed she had decided to stay. Her mind hadn't changed the night before, it wasn't until she woke up curled up next to him that it had.
A smile, broad and genuine, formed on Ash's face. He seemed to be making a habit out of it recently. She was staying. It seemed very strange, getting emotionally involved with someone after so short of a time, but he found he could not help himself. Nor did he even want to suppress what he was feeling. Thana had snuck past his defenses and left one hell of an impression. He stepped close to Thana, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her gently. "Thank you." he spoke with soft syllables.
Thana's arms slipped around his waist, pulling herself closer. The warmth he gave her was welcome; both physical and emotional. Her lips pulsing against his and a content sigh escaping them as she returned his gentle kiss. Though as he thanked her she looked a tad puzzled, even if only for a moment. Why was he thanking her? Figuring it was either for last night she pushed the quizzical expression away and simply nodded. Maybe she should have said your welcome? Or perhaps thank you as well? Either way, too late now.
But there was business that needed attending, as she had just pointed out. He pulled a key off of his personal keyring and lay it on the table next to her coffee cup. "It works for both the front and back door. We have a key grinder in Shop, across from the Courthouse. Beni should be by to open things up in about a half hour. Now..." he looked at Thana with a serious expression, "I'm not the easiest man to live with. Say the word at any time and I will make sure you have a townhome or an apartment to yourself. But my home is yours."
Watching him place the key on the table and then hearing his words she smirked. "Well, I figure as long as the bedroom comes along with this little arrangement, we should be just fine," she said in a sly voice as she leaned against him. Resting her head on his chest for a moment as she took comfort in his embrace and soaked up the warmth of the moment. The night before had been surreal on several levels, especially considering the connection she felt to him. It could all backfire and fall apart, sure that was a possibility but for now she needed him as much as he had told her that he needed her. That was enough.
Just Before Sunrise....
It was a little early. The machine Shop/Garage wasn't quite open yet, but a handful of minutes one way or another wouldn't matter too much. It wasn't like Ash would get in trouble for loitering. He pulled on the former Commanding Officer's flight jacket (as it was still fairly cold outside), and strode out into the slowly but steadily warming day. The ice was beginning to melt from the side and roof of his house, providing an irregular drumbeat of melting ice striking short banks of snow below. Peering down the street at their intended destination, he could have sworn he just saw that cat milling about down that way. Curious. Now was the time that he'd normally be around the Mess Hall, meowing for scraps or hunting mice.
Thana picked up the key from the table before slipping her coat back on, adjusting her collar as she stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her. "Well won't get locked out this time," she said in passing as she flicked the key around in her fingers before pocketing it. Glancing around it looked like it would turn out to be a nice day but right then it was still around forty-degrees. She was glad she had her jacket this time. Stepping over to Ash her head followed his line of sight to see what she figured was the same furball that had been in the house the night before and had followed her out that morning. "Friend of yers?"
"Schrodinger." he responded simply. After a second, he followed up with, "Cat came in with a Russian guy, survivor that used to be with a circus. We didn't talk much, he actually died shortly after he was admitted in Newnan. Damnedest thing. Slipped and got an eyesocket full of tree limb. The cat... He just decided to stick around. People seem to like him. He's okay." Ash turned and began walking down LaGrange Street, motioning for Thana to join him. "Just down this way, about a block."
Thana perked a brow at Ash's little run down of what had happened to the previous owner of said cat. "Sounds like a bad acme cartoon," she mused as she glanced over to him. Slipping her hands into her jacket pockets she started to walk next to Ash as they headed towards the repair shop. "A'right."
They were passing the Courthouse, Newnan's main building, and had clear view of the shop. It was across a parking lot, the dominant feature of it being the massive piece of road beast known as The Hordebuster. A refitted, sleeper cab dump truck with a locomotive cow-catcher style plow on the front; Ash's best known contribution to the continued safety of his people that came with him from Virginia. He was about to point his mechanical juggernaut out to Thana when something even more interesting caught his eye. One of the garage doors to the Shop slid open, and a figure began shambling out. A figure wearing overalls and a cowboy hat.
Looking over at the vehicle Thana wondered just what in the hell kind of Redneck rig it was but the sound of the garage door opening for her attention. Slowing her walk, her eyes widened a bit at the sight before her. "Captain..." she said in a in a whisper. This was not what she had expected to see right then.
He had an axe buried into the back of someone's head, dragging the corpse behind him. It left a trail of fresh blood. "What the hell? James!" he called, before taking off at a run. Thana blinked as Ash darted off towards James, drawing her side arm from the pocket of her coat and chasing after him as she held the gun low. Flicking the safety off as she ran.
Ash bounded across the street and into the parking lot in front of them. Packed snow be damned, he was running full out. There came a close call or two as he very nearly lost his balance on the slippery terrain, but he crossed the distance in very short order. As James saw him approaching, he dropped the haft of his axe, letting the body hit the ground. He took a knee in front of the corpse, just waiting the last couple of seconds for the Captain to arrive. As soon as Ash stood before him, James reached into a pocket and held out a piece of paper; the same paper that he took from the "Reject's House" earlier.
Thana slowed her run as James dropped to a knee and reached into his pocket. Her hands coming up as she took low aim just in case. She didn't know what the hell was going on but it didn't matter. Her training and years in the service were kicking in, along with a hefty amount of aww hell naw in the back of her mind. She had just connected with someone, she'd be damn if he got dropped by some back woods hogger gone Deliverance. Taking a steadying breath she was ready to pull the trigger. That was until she spotted it was a sheet of paper. The mid squeeze of the trigger stopped and she lowered the weapon slowly but she stayed ready, just in case.
Taking the paper in one hand, Ash leaned his head to look at the body behind James. Confusion spread across his face as he skimmed the paper, bloody fingerprints and all. Maybe Sana had killed herself and Richard got bitten by her after? "Did he turn?"
"No, sir." His voice was respectful and sad.
Raising her brow, Thana kept her eye on James. If he hadn't turned why did he have an ax to his head? This didn't bode well. Had James murdered him? The thought alone made her finger rest back onto the trigger.
"Was he dead before you found him?"
"Naw, he wasn't dead sir."
Each question and answer was causing Thana to raise her gun just a little bit more. Slowly taking a step forward she kept to the side of Ash, making her way into his peripheral vision so he could see her without having to turn his head. If she had to fire she didn't want to be fired on, she wanted him to know where the shot came from.
Ash turned his head very slightly, taking note of Thana's movement. He wasn't completely comfortable with her having a gun on James, but it was slowly looking like that was exactly what was needed. He continued his game of twenty questions with James, becoming more irritated and fearful about what he would find. "Bit?"
Maybe James was anxious to end the prolonged questioning, too. Instead of responding to the direct question, he said in a weary voice, "When Sana changed, she got Bryn. They both dead, Boss. I had to put 'em down after, both'em."
Thana's lips thinned a bit at the last statement. She wasn't sure who these women were he was speaking about but it didn't matter. If they had lost people they had lost people. That was never an easy thing. "What about this one? Why does he have an axe in his cranium?" Thana asked, finally speaking up as she kept the gun trained low. She wasn't intent on killing him but if he moved to do the same to the Captain that he had Richard, well... God was a bit vague when it came to the subject of knee caps.
James's face became a vision of true sorrow. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. "I need to know, James." prodded Ash.
"I come to find you, Cap'n. Turn myself in. I know what it means, Ash. Do what you gotta." It was widely known in Newnan, killing one of your own meant execution. James had come to die, plain and simple. He even brought the evidence with him.
"James... You didn't..." Thana's voice cracked a bit as she spoke. Sure, James was a little back woods. Alright very back woods but she never figured he would murder someone in cold blood.
A gun was already in Ash's hand, drawn reflexively. By his own words, he had to kill James. There wasn't a lot of wiggle room on this. He had the body with him. He confessed. Blood, some fresh and some not, stained parts of his clothing. Ash had a witness with him, to confirm that this was an execution and not a murder. The stage was set... but this felt awful. James used the hesitation to speak. "He might as well've held the knife hisself, Boss. He hurt so many. People died 'cause of him. Died. An' he wasn't done yet. I don't want nobody else hurt 'cause of him. Now, only one more's got to die."
James removed his hat and bowed his head. There was no fear on his face as he accepted his coming death, but a profound sense of grief. Normally jovial, he did not wear sadness well. Slowly, he looked up at his friend standing over him and the gun pointed above one of his eyes. There were tears spilling down the Captain's face, his eyes red with sorrow.
Thana sighed deeply as she lowered her gun. So that was why he had done it. Granted she didn't know the details in all that they were but she knew enough. The look in Ash's eyes told her everything she needed to know. Placing the safety back on her side arm she shook her head slowly. She didn't know what to say so she kept quiet for the meantime. Part of her wanted to just comfort Ash if she could but now was not the time.
"You could have come to me, James. We could have worked this out." Tears colored Ash's voice. He chambered a round in his sidearm. James raised his eyes again, like a detached, traumatized child. "She died... for him. Baby girl died for him, Ash. We cared about her, and she's dead 'cause of him." There was utter, prideless honesty in his voice. In that second, Ash knew who James was talking about. Alicia gave her life to get Richard to Newnan. It was, in his opinion, the most profound waste in the history of human existence. "You'd do anything to protect these people, wouldn't you?" he asked James, his voice shaky and growing with frustration.
Holstering her side arm, Thana knew where this was going and it wasn't right. Yes the man had killed someone but she of all people knew that some times you had to take a life to save many more. Anyone in the military knew that sad fact. It seemed enough had died because of the man who rushed up on her when she first arrived. "Captain Holloway. Think you should lower yer weapon," she said in a calm quiet voice, trying not to trigger anything else.
Ash's mind was focused on James right then, to the exclusion of everything around him. This couldn't be hidden. Anger built up inside of him, at himself for not fixing this before more blood was shed, anger at James for taking drastic action without even talking to him about it. He was torn; James was willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the community. He was willing to murder, and personally face the consequences of that act as an example for everyone else. He was a good man. And Ash had to kill him, or this experiment called Newnan might begin to unravel.
The clock stuck 7:23 A.M. - Sunrise. Hardly anyone was out of bed yet, the majority of people would not be scheduled to head to work or change shifts until after breakfast at 8:00 A.M. The streets were clear. Patrols limited to the wall itself at this hour, and the tower but they were now down one sniper and another looked to have a bullet put through his skull any moment.
"God damnit, James!" screamed Ash, his service pistol inches away from the other man's skull. Thana stood there just behind Ash watching the scene unfold, this wasn't right. Ash seemed to have lost it, a crazed look in his eye mixed with sorrow.
"Captain," she said in a calm voice but one of authority: not that she had any in this place but she was hoping just to get through to him. To have him hear something beyond his grief.
His voice got quieter, but not by much. "You're my best friend. I fucking love you, man." Ash's gun did not waver, though, aimed solidly and point blank at James's cranium as he knelt in the icy slush. Determination held in the Captain's face as his hand tensed to pull the trigger.
Reaching out Thana placed her hand on Ash's shoulder from behind as she stepped closer. Speaking in a soft caring voice. "Ash... Don't." The shot fired just after dawn in the small town in the morning of the fifteenth: the shot heard through Newnan.
...
James flinched just a little. No matter how ready to accept death one might be, facing down your own mortality by way of the bark of a heavy caliber pistol was a startling thing. It took him a few seconds to realize that, despite evidence building to the contrary, he was still alive. James looked up at Ash, the warm barrel of his sidearm pointed just to the side. Looking up at the Captain, his face was a blur of disappointment and gratitude. He opened his mouth to say something, but was immediately cut off by Ash, whose voice had become grim.
"You have one hour, James. One hour from when Security gets here. Take what you need from Newnan, and go."
Thana let out the breath she had been holding unknowingly. The bullet embedding into one side of Richard's skull, as if to drive the nail further in the coffin. Squeezing Ash's shoulder firmly, not to hurt but to let him actually feel that she was there for him. There was plenty to say but not here, not now. It could wait until they were behind closed doors. For now she gave Ash a simple nod as she watched him. Things would definitely be different come this evening than they had the night before, and not for the better.
Piedmont Hospital Newnan
The night at the hospital had been thankfully uneventful. The knocking continued behind a closed door in the ER but eventually died down as the night drug on. Other than that there were no noises until the sun started to rise in the east. Once it did and the temperature started to rise then the noise began. There was a steady trickle of water in on the upper floors to start. Melting snow leaking in from the aged and unkempt areas of the roof. It splattering on the floors below and echoing through the so thought empty building.
It didn't stop there, for as the water gathered in pools, it began leaking down to the floor below. The ground floor becoming wet as well here and there as the water trickled in. It wasn't as bad as on the second floor but it was obvious that the hospital had not been tended to or kept up over the years since the out break happened. Such things as roof patching were not of the concern of people that passed through only to raid its contents until it was bare and then move on.
It was just after the sun had risen that the echo of a gun shot rang out and into the hallways of Piedmont Hospital in Newnan. The sound was faint and because of the echo in the place one could not tell which direction it had come from but it was obvious that someone was out there, somewhere, within a few miles of the hospital. Just where? And did the two that were in there want to find out? Or would they find each other first? Only time would tell. One thing was for certain, now that there was light coming in through the windows one could actually look around a bit more than they could the night before. It was a start.
Tatiana Korvo
Location: Building F (The Newnan's Home) Interacting With: Jack
The light wasn't coming in the windows just yet for the Newnan's home but Tatiana found herself waking up slowly anyways. Yawning deeply as she curled closer to her husband before her eyes fluttered open. She glanced around at the dim room, only lit by a small night light in the corner. She couldn't help but smile as she thought back to the day before. It felt like a dream but feeling the wedding band on her finger she knew it wasn't. Everything had gone so perfectly that day and after they left, things had gone even better. Lifting her head from Jack's chest Tatiana sighed happily, content to watch her husband sleep. Her husband, she liked that.
But she knew if she stayed there she would just end up waking him up. Tatiana was never one that liked holding still. Figuring it was best to get up and let him get some much needed rest she slipped out of bed; careful not to wake him. They both would normally need to get ready for the day, having duties and job in Newnan but the Captain had granted them what he called a three day pass; their honeymoon. No work, no job to report, no duties. Just three whole days starting today to be Newly Weds. Tatiana's smile grew as she got dressed. Three whole days of just her and Jack. People in the town had been kind enough to stock their refrigerator with plenty of food. They wouldn't even have to leave the house if they didn't want to. Tatiana was very thankful for that, she doubted they would if they didn't have to. You know, marital stuff to do.
Slipping on some jeans and a shirt Tatiana ran a brush through her hair and headed into the kitchen. Agriculture had given what Tatiana thought was the best gift of all. A dozen eggs and half a pound of bacon. Miss Sally had gifted them some tea and a fresh loaf of bread; along with sneaking them a few table spoons of actual honest to god butter. Pulling everything out, Tatiana got to work. Placing a frilly little 1950's housewife apron around her waist for good measure. She knew that one of the things Jack enjoyed most was normalcy. Just having a home, a family, the daily grind. It made him happy.
This morning she wanted to give him the full hubby treatment. Breakfast in bed. Eggs, bacon, tea, and toast? What could be more normal than that? It was what all those images in old magazines showed for American life. Norman Rockwell at it's finest. So she got to work making breakfast. Though she had to admit it would probably be the last time she was allowed to lift a finger for the next months. Carrying their baby, Tatiana half expected Jack to be very over protective and not even let her tie her own shoe. The thought of him trying to put a crib together made her chuckle to herself as the bacon started to sizzle in the pan.
It didn't take long and the sun was fully up. Tatiana had finished making breakfast, the smell of it wafting through the house. Plates were set out on a tray for each of them. The only thing she had left was to get a couple of coffee cups from the cabinet and pour the tea. Pulling two out she turned to head back over to the counter when the shot rang out through Newnan. The sound made Tatiana jump, the coffee mugs falling from her hands and crashing to the floor in pieces.
“Ty che, blyad!” she yelled in Russian as ducked down instinctively. She was used to hearing shots from the wall but this was closer, much closer. She was frightened, where they under attack? "Jack!" she screamed as she rushed from the kitchen, hunched over to stay down; leaving a trail of blood on the kitchen floor. She hadn't even noticed she stepped on the broken glass and cut her foot as she made her way into the living room.
Ty che, blyad? - What the fuck!
Ryan O'Reliy
Location: Building B (Rejects House) Interacting With: Chloe
Ryan rolled over in bed and groaned a bit as hit alarm clock went off. Unlike Jack and Tatiana, he was on duty today. He had to check the medical garden after breakfast and then head off to run his hand to hand training course. He might not have liked the way Newnan was run but he had to give props to Ash for making sure everyone was trained to protect themselves. Sure the walls were great and kept them as safe as one could hope these days but you never knew when things would change and if everything went to hell in a hand basket you couldn't have people soft.
That didn't mean he was happy about having to get up and yesterdays thoughts had tormented his dreams. The sight of his brother Cyril plagued him. Rubbing his face he sat up slowly and yawned. Checking the time he grumbled before throwing the blankets off him and stumbling out of his room. Richards door was wide open and he peeked in. Seemed the man was already out for the day. Fine by him, he really didn't want to deal with Dick this morning. Just wanted breakfast, get his shit done, and hopefully grab a nap come the afternoon.
All bets were off though as the shot was fired. "Shit," Ryan exclaimed as he ducked down. That shot was damn close. Rushing through the house he burst into Chloe's room and rushed over to her bedside. "Chloe, you okay?" he asked concerned as he knelt down by her bed, ready to grab her and pull her down to the floor if need be. He looked worried as all get out as the suns rays lit up the room. He was already starting to check her for gunshot wounds even though in the back of his mind he knew the shot wasn't close enough to hit her but still, the sound was too damn close for his liking.
Gavin Comfort
Location: Building 2 (Mess Hall) Interacting With: His guard
Gavin had woken up early, long before the sun had risen. He smirked to himself as he noticed his boots were off. "He gonna make a great hubby one day to some man," he said quietly to himself before grabbing a shower and changing clothing. Grabbing his things he snuck out of the room and closed the door silently behind him. The two guards had changed out in the night and eyed him.
"Mornin' y'all," he said with a broad smile.
"Where are you going?" one of them asked.
"I's be leavin'. Problem?" he asked, wondering why it would matter. Miss Sally said they could leave whenever they wanted. Gavin had plans and he wanted to get out before Ravi could try to talk him out of it.
"Oh, okay. Want breakfast first?" the other one asked. Gavin cocked a brow and then nodded.
"Hells yeah, I be takin' some food," he said brightly.
"Okay, follow me. Mess hall is open, most won't be ready yet but Mike should have something," he said before motioning for Gavin to follow him. The other guard staying in place.
"Right, tell my hubby I'll see him one day," he said with a chuckle before following the guard out of the building and towards the Mess Hall. Once they were inside Gavin looked around, the smell of starch heavy in the air as Mike looked up from his work and spotted Gavin with his escort.
"Oh hey man, mornin. Your up early," he said, greeting the man he had met last night. It was obvious that Mike hadn't gotten much sleep, or maybe he hadn't even been to sleep yet. He had stayed to clean up everything from the reception and then had to be in early to start breakfast for the town. Chances were he said fuck it, got done with one and started the other without sleep. Knowing Mike he would crash once breakfast was served and Miss Sally came in to take over for lunch.
"Yeah, heading out buts couldn't leave without fillin me belly! Damn fine foods you gots here," Gavin said as he rubbed his hands together.
"Yeah, well last night was a rare thing. Today it's powdered eggs and grits."
"Aww hell! Grits?!?! Give me some!" Gavin said excitedly. Mike looked at him oddly but shrugged and filled a bowl for him, topping it with some of the scrambled powdered eggs. Gavin took it happily and plopped himself down at a table before starting to shovel it in. He really wasn't that hungry, still rather full from the night before but hell food was food. This would probably be the last warm meal he got for a long time.
Mike sat next to him, finally grabbing himself something to eat. The two talked and Mike took over guard duty while the actual guard grabbed some breakfast. The three of them just sat there, eating and trading stories. The place was empty besides them. No one was expected to show up until Breakfast time at eight.
The conversation came to a halt as the shot rang out and Gavin cocked a brow as he slowly pulled his spoon from his mouth. "What in tarnation? y'all doing target practice inside the walls?" he asked, seeming a lot more unphased than the guard or Mike were; both who jumped at the sound. "Take that as a no," he said as he stood up and headed towards the door nonchalantly.
"Where the hell are you going?" the guys asked in unison.
"See what the fuck that was."
"You aren't armed! Get back here!" Mike yelled.
"Shoot bro, I ain't worried about a little lead," Gavin chuckled as he pushed the door open and started walking towards the direction of the sound of the shot. His guard looking over towards Mike.
"If he gets me killed, tell Captain I quit!" he barked before rushing out after Gavin.
You know who I am, you know what I do... A roll of the dice, a flip of the coin, your fate is in my hands. Brace yourself. LLA has arrived.
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">You know who I am, you know what I do... A roll of the dice, a flip of the coin, your fate is in my hands. Brace yourself. LLA has arrived.<br></div>
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