[hr][hr][center][h1][i][b][color=steelblue]Ash Holloway[/color][/b][/i][/h1]
[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/0d55b471-c5e5-4224-a6dd-f93f52f38ebd.png[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b]Location:[/b] Northern Parking Lot of Building [b]4[/b] (Repair Shop)
[/center][hr][hr]

	Ash looked at Gavin's outstretched hand for a second before eyeing the tall Texan. He had to be the most oblivious man on the face of the planet, out of what few living people remained upon it. Gunshot, man kneeling in the snow, emotion playing on people's faces. The town was slowly creeping out to see what was going on. This was a big deal, and this guy was treating it as a meet & greet. Ash kept his look as stoic and professional as possible, that being his way. But there was an element of strain to him. This was a lot to deal with at one time. But he was the man in charge, and no one else was going to do it for him. There was only one way he knew of to handle issues like this coming at him all at once. Divide them up and handle them a piece at a time. 

	There was a difficulty with one of those issues. Ash hadn't actually felt jealousy in quite some time. It was not in his nature, at least not generally. All he could do was let that play out for the meantime. To forsake Newnan for his own personal insecurities, founded or unfounded (though this looked pretty goddamned founded), would be an utterly selfish thing to do. But the way Thana stressed the word "need" the split second before Gavin introduced himself. Did that mean something? It must have, but he wasn't 100% on what, exactly. So, with Gavin just for now, keep it short. Ash took the Texan's hand, gripping him with a fast but firm handshake. [color=steelblue]"Captain Ashton Holloway, Combat Engineer, Commanding Officer of the Newnan Safe Zone."[/color] His voice was stone. [color=steelblue]"At the risk of being rude, sir, Commander Martin is correct. Matters require our attention."[/color] He didn't know, thankfully. And he wasn't being The Bad Guy here, it just looked like unfortunate timing. So before Ash's personal feelings got involved, "Honky Tonk" needed to take a step back. [color=steelblue]"We will talk later. Grab some breakfast if you haven't already."[/color]

	One thing at a time. [color=steelblue]"Thana, I [i]need you[/i] to stick close. Brief me in a few minutes when we're clear."[/color] If someone in town thought that Thana was at fault for what happened, even indirectly, he wanted her nearby. Also, he could not deny a sense of rearing territoriality. A lot of emotional things were pulling at him, and he did not need the distraction of [i]not knowing[/i] just then. It was petty, but it was indeed what he [i]needed[/i]. 

	A crackle sounded over Ash's radio. It was Jim, taking over for Jack while he was on his honeymoon. "Team of four, plus myself en route, Captain." he said with just a hint of tiredness in his voice. "One minute." Ash responded with a monotone, [color=steelblue]"Understood, one minute."[/color] Something suddenly popped into his head, [color=steelblue]"Jack and Tatiana, stay on your honeymoon. We have this handled."[/color] Someone in this town is going to have something resembling peace and happiness, damnit. It might as well be the newlyweds. 

	Something seemed off, though. Or more accurate, something seemed missing. He had asked for a Security and a Domestic team to meet him on site. Security was coming. Where the hell was Domestic? Ash scanned the gathering group of Newnanites, looking for people who worked primarily Domestic to press into service when he spotted Meghna Kumar, on site, observing what was going on. A spark of genuine anger unrelated to the issues at hand flared in Ash. [color=steelblue]"Miss Kumar!"[/color] he shouted, barely turning his head in her direction, [color=steelblue]"You are the Domestic Lead, right? Where is my Domestic Team? Why are you not reporting for orders?"[/color] 

	The fact that a couple of people were asking for an explanation was not lost on him. He was hoping to address everyone at the same time, but something had to be said now, if just to keep people from worrying about what might happen next. Plus, some people might want to tell James goodbye. Ash sighed. This would have to be done in full eventually, anyway. He keyed on his radio, and addressed everyone within earshot of one around Newnan. 

	[color=steelblue]"This is Ash speaking. A tragedy has hit us in the night. Now, I cannot provide details right now, but be assured that no one is in any additional danger. It has been resolved. I repeat, no one else is in any more danger."[/color] He wasn't exactly sure what to say, but he pushed forward anyway. [color=steelblue]"Our friend and Agriculture Lead, James Grady, has taken a life. The deceased was Richard Johnson. James had his reasons. Earlier in the night, Sana Rouen took her own life, citing Richard as the cause. Her corpse rose and killed Bryn Johannsson. James was acting with the intent of protecting the people of Newnan, but he took matters into his own hands and committed an act of murder inside of our walls."[/color] Damn, but this was a news bomb to drop on Newnan first thing in the morning. 

	[color=steelblue]"The penalty for this is execution."[/color] Everyone in town knew this, though there was never the need to do so before. [color=steelblue]"Because of his tireless service to the community and the circumstances around the offense, I have opted instead for exile. Anyone wishing to say goodbye may do so in one hour, at the Main Gate to the south. Anyone interfering with this will be subject to disciplinary action."[/color]   

	Jim and his team arrived, giving Ashton a quick salute. He returned it, and issued orders. [color=steelblue]"Ok, two of you will guard James. Keep him safe, but keep him on task. He has one hour to be outside the Wall. The other two... help him out. He's still one of ours for that hour."[/color] He then looked directly at James, [color=steelblue]"Come on, man. Get up. You've given us so much. Take what you need, start over. Don't give us trouble now."[/color] 




[hr][hr][center][h1][color=firebrick]Black James(!)[/color][/h1]
[img]https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/avatars/6AE78329E91063505631975227392_pic-r-1396533712688c4afde8ecf.jpg.jpg?versionId=ZnGOSit0zozlhxpJk0w6QVx4cSozVRdq[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b][color=firebrick]Location:[/color][/b] Northern Parking Lot of Building [b]4[/b] (Repair Shop)[/center][hr][hr]

	[color=firebrick]"Naw, Bossman. Ain't gonna be no trouble from me."[/color] His voice was low and sad. James had walked up to Ash, fully expecting to die. He wasn't sure if this was a gift or curse, but under no circumstances was he going to make this difficult on anyone else in Newnan. Even if it wasn't his home anymore, these were his people. The girthy man set his stetson back on his head, and slowly rose from the coldness in which he knelt. He looked to the Security detail assigned to him with a mixture of several emotions. [color=firebrick]"C'mon y'all. Let's just do this, get it done, aight?"[/color] Maybe he deserved to die. Maybe he just made a mistake and was paying for it. A lot of maybes went through his head. Too many. Ash's mercy may have prevented him from catching a bullet right at that moment, but he was on his own. That could change in a hurry out there. All the same, he still wanted to take care of these people and this place. It would be awfully hard to do that if he couldn't set foot inside of the Wall. 

	Ok, first order of business, he needed to get his working gear. Most all of that was back at his place. Plan for a very, very extended run. And his truck. He liked that truck. He would have to visit the Armory, too, but that would have to be last. The Security guys could probably take care of that for him, come to think about it. But he also needed to hit Agriculture. He left some things there he would need, plus there was a little gift for Ash, and by extension, Newnan. Time to get to it. Mustering as much dignity as he could, James began a steady walk back to the street, in the direction of his house.