[b]Bex - Outpost - Matt[/b]

With Enrique off to carry out whatever task Tyler had given him, Bex decided it was best to ask just what hell was going on. Tyler only stared him down. "I'm sorry to say this, but some sacrifices must be made for things to get done. You understand that, don't you, Bex?" Gone was the smiling and jovial Thomas. This man looked and sounded both like the Tyler Bex had known... and it frightened him.

"No one deserves that," Bex said. He spoke slowly, trying to speak carefully amidst his pounding head.

"It's for my daughter. It's for the betterment of Outpost." Bex had no doubt in his mind that Tyler truly believed that. What frightening lengths people could go to in this crazy world. Bex had no choice but to stand down, as arguing further would only make things worse for his pounding head. Tyler looked toward Matt, saying, "As for that horde, well, the scouts will still be here when all is said and done. They'll see reason and move on without Reggie, I'm sure."

Bex doubted that, but only let out a small sigh in response. He rested his elbows on one of the desks and rolled his shoulders. What he wouldn't have done for some Tylenol. "Bex, are you listening?" Tyler asked, leaning down slightly to stare Bex in the eyes. It was almost as if the man was [i]trying[/i] to scare him.

Before Bex could formulate a response, Rudy entered the room. He looked quizzically between the three men. "The hell is going on here?" he asked.

Tyler smiled, putting on what Bex was considering his [i]Thomas face[/i]. "I've just let my friends in on what we've been doing. They work with Reggie now, so it's only fair that they be informed."

Rudy stared, slowly pulling a book out of his backpack. "By that logic, we should tell all the scouts."

"Ah--" For a moment, Tyler looked taken aback. "No, that might cause a few problems."

"... Right." Rudy stepped forward and placed the book on the desk in front of Matt. "Here you go," he said. "Haven't looked at it much. Dunno if it contains the info we want."

Tyler grabbed the book and opened it on the desk. "Well, let's start with the day of the mutiny, shall we?"

---

[b]Reggie - New Orleans/Outpost[/b]

Every day brought new complications. It started with the mutiny, an event that Reggie was still surprised he came out of alive. He still remembered that man-- Jonah-- creeping up on Myriah, ready to slash his knife across her throat. The poor woman had been alone in her cabin, reading some novel she picked up. If Reggie hadn't stopped by to talk with her, she would have--

"Hm." Reggie looked up to scan the rooftops. The living tended to stay above the ground and who knew where that art museum gang was lurking. For all Reggie knew, they were already aware of the scouts' movements. That thought alone made what they had to do all the more important. This would require men that Reggie that could rely on, not people that would let him down. People like Jonah, people like Ben, who both had to die for Reggie to learn his lesson. Reggie could not allow another death to occur, not before Outpost was safe.

"Alex," Reggie said, moving close to the man and speaking in a low voice. "I'll need to speak with you when we get back." With that, Reggie moved forward, leading the group back into the forest.

***

As the group of scouts had no supplies to bring back, none of Outpost's citizens were waiting on their return. However, people were drawn to them once it was known they had showed up with the body of a bleeding unconscious man. It seemed like [i]everyone[/i] was asking what had happened and Reggie had to assure every single one of them that no one from Outpost was hurt. It was exhausting, largely because Reggie didn't usually have to [i]deal[/i] with so many people. He kept his distance and kept things respectful. It was largely Myriah's job to do the socializing.

Of course, she was nowhere to be found today.

Needing a break from the questioning, Reggie headed toward the nursing station inside the administrative building. It had been a nursing station before the outbreak as well, but it had probably only dealt with the scraped knees of children back then. Inside the station now was Isaac, once only a medical student but now Outpost's full time doctor. As he was also on the council, Isaac had a lot of of recognition around Outpost despite being so young.

"Good timing," Isaac said, giving Reggie a nod. "Turns out the guy just had a broken nose. Still hasn't woken up, but I've got his head elevated for now." Isaac crossed his arms. "Honestly, at least two guys on the wall managed to break their noses in the last month, so I think I'm getting good at it. You wanna see him?" Reggie shook his head and declined. "Alrighty then. I need to head out for a moment to speak with someone, so I'll be right back."

Once Isaac was gone, Reggie turned to Jerry and Alex, who he had instructed to wait for him in the station. "Jerry, you can go, I suppose. Not much use keeping you here if Isaac's done with him." Jerry nodded and quickly left, leaving Reggie alone with Alex. "... All right, there's something I need you to hear. Don't speak up until I'm finished." Reggie moved one of the chairs so that he could sit across from Alex. "What happened out there... That shouldn't have happened. It shouldn't happen and yet it keeps happening, Alex, and I know you are well aware of this. I've never liked turning away those that wish to be a part of the scouts, but we're approaching a critical moment for not just the scouts, but for all of Outpost. Every mistake you make is a chance for you to [i]die[/i] and every time that happens the whole group is affected."

Reggie sighed, looking down. "I don't want another death on my hands. I think it's best if you stayed within Outpost's walls from now on. There's always guard duty, and the guys on the wall will--"

The door burst open. Isaac stood in the doorway, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. It took him a moment to form proper words. "We-We have... Something has happened. There's an emergency council meeting."

Reggie stared, his brow furrowing. "What? What's happened?"

Isaac's eyes shifted toward Alex. "It's bad. We need to go."

Reggie turned back to Alex. "... Well, that's how it stands. If you want to speak more about it, see me later." He then got up and moved to follow Isaac.

"Wait," Isaac said, lingering in the doorway. Reggie gave him a vexed look, but Isaac ignored him to point at Alex. "I need you to stay here to watch the guy in case he wakes up." He then moved his hand to point toward the next room, where the beds were. "Ice, medication, pillows. Everything he needs is in there." Isaac then turned around and closed the station door. "Okay," he said. "You head to the council room. I need to see to something."

Reggie was about to ask what that was, but Isaac was already sprinting away. Every day brought new complications.

***

The council room was dreadfully quiet and not a single council member was speaking a word. When Reggie entered the room, all they could do was stare at him. Reggie could swear he felt a shiver run up his spine. "Someone tell me what's going on," he said, looking around the room. "And where's Myriah? Shouldn't she be here for this?"

Rhonda spoke up, but her voice was quiet. Reggie could see that her eyes were red. "She's been hurt. Derick's looking after her, and Isaac is on his way."

... Hurt? By the look of the council, Reggie began to wonder if it was fatal. He felt bile rise at the back of his throat. "How... did she get hurt? How hurt [i]is[/i] she?"

Randy cleared his throat before speaking. "We're not sure what happened. We believe there was another attack on Myriah's life--"

Reggie stepped forward now, rage suddenly overtaking him. He slammed a fist on the table. "Not again! Not fucking again!"

"There-There's more," Randy said, slightly shaken. "Someone was killed. Samantha Baxter. She-- We don't know why. We think it was just because she was with Myriah at the time, but she was caught sneaking around last night."

Reggie could barely listen. Blood pumped heavily in his ears. "I don't care [i]why[/i], I want to know what we're going to do about this. We have to find the piece of shit who did this!"

Rhonda spoke again, her voice more pronounced now. "You're right, and that's why we have to keep everyone inside Outpost. We'll have the watchers who were on duty at the time of the murder stand guard. It'll be tough on them, but it will be necessary."

Reggie leaned forward, his eyes trained on Rhonda. He couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. "My scouts wouldn't have done this," he said, his voice barely straddling calm.

"We don't now that," Randy said. "[i]You[/i] don't know that."

This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not when [i]everything[/i] could go wrong. When did everything become a threat? What the hell was even going on in this world? "We keep Outpost supplied! You can't keep us from doing our job!"

"The council already voted on it, Reggie. You have no room to argue." Reggie tried to explain that he could at least argue his point, but Rhonda spoke over him. "We're well supplied, Reggie! We just want to get to the bottom of this!" The woman's voice strained as she pushed back tears. "God-- I can't believe this has happened."

Reggie wasn't having any of this. Rhonda could cry all she want, but Reggie knew that she was [i]wrong[/i]. Yet another mutiny attempt-- A [i]murder[/i]! No matter how much Reggie did for this community, it always found a way to shatter itself. Now they were going to repay him by keeping him from protecting them? "Forget this," Reggie said, his hands balled into fists. He kicked one of the chairs, toppling it over.

"I'll find this murderer, don't you goddamn worry."