[hr][hr][center][h1][i][b][color=firebrick]James[/color] & [color=dc143c]Thalia[/color][/b][/i][/h1]
[img]https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/avatars/6AE78329E91063505631975227392_pic-r-1396533712688c4afde8ecf.jpg.jpg?versionId=ZnGOSit0zozlhxpJk0w6QVx4cSozVRdq[/img] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b4/fc/02/b4fc025b04e4d7775b99388fb448ca3d--grimm-first-time.jpg[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b][color=firebrick]Location:[/color][/b] The Meet (Three-way intersection near the Hershall Norred Water Plant) [/center][hr][hr]

	Astrid Hansen. 
	Bridgette Vinters. 
	Caesar Gonzalez. 
	Alicia Gonzalez. 

	Thalia repeated the names in her head, trying to reconcile with herself that she had already expected this. She had said her goodbyes to Astrid and Bridgette before, never expecting to see them again. Prima and Tio Gonzalez; she never got the chance to say goodbye. Still, she had braced herself for the possibility that they would indeed be dead. The numbers were simply against it. Her little quest around the Atlanta area was just to find news, confirm what she had already made herself believe. But it still hurt. This time, she didn't let it show on her face. Thalia was done crying for today. She glared over at James, fitting an expectant look on her face. He still hadn't answered her question. And Lola's comment about it earned her a smirk from the coldly burning half-latina. 

	The request for a drink took James by surprise, though it really shouldn't have, considering the family this young woman came from. [color=firebrick]"Ooh, um... you know, I ain't thinkin' we have..."[/color] he began, before the sudden appearance of another Whack-A-Mole from the tank, and the inevitable return of Gavin from the soft cover to the side of the road, muttering something about a barnyard orgy he'd rather watch from behind protective glass. He took the next couple of seconds to really absorb the snatches of conversation going on around him. James rather agreed with Ryan. His own eccentricities aside, he did feel like he was being slowly surrounded by crazy people. Well, his philosophy centered somewhere near "Join the madness or get swept away by it" or "because fuck it, that's why". They hadn't started trying to kill each other just yet, and that was just about the closest thing to making friends as he could expect nowadays. 

	Meanwhile, Gavin's presence gave Thalia concern. A tall country boy appearing from a ditch beside the road, [i]carrying a sniper rifle[/i], gave her a distinct lack of ease. Apparently, Lola was very much put at ease with the stranger. Thalia did not share her optimism. Instinctively, she raised Astrid's shield to cover her face just below the eyes, the bottom rim jutting out more than the top. He knees bent and feet stepped wide, taking a charger's stance while her machete moved fluidly behind her, remaining solidly motionless, parallel to the ground upon which she stood. It was the fighting form of a Fairburn Shieldmaiden, something unseen in the area for too long. [color=dc143c]"Fuck is [i]this[/i], James? Sniper in the goddamn woods?"[/color] That rifle looked familiar too, but Thalia thought it prudent to impale one issue at a time.

	[color=firebrick]"Yeah?"[/color] retorted James, not particularly wanting to lose control of the situation but unwilling to let people he just met walk all over them. [color=firebrick]"Y'alls the muthafuckas came to this party in a TANK. Y'alls also the muthafuckas left a man in y'damn tank with a [i]cannon[/i] aimin' down the road. You gonna blame [i]us[/i] for havin' a ace in the hole with a pissed-off Gonzalez runnin' around? Y'all [i]must[/i] be crazy!"[/color] 

	Thalia looked from Gavin to James, over to Lola for some expression of confirmation, then a quick glance back to the truck. Mentioning the name of her father's people did calm her a bit. At least this man was aware of their reputation (if not hers specifically), reinforcing the notion that they were on the level. Her machete and Astrid's shield lowered slowly. [color=dc143c]"Alright. Fair 'nuff. But are we going to expect any more [i]friends of yours[/i] today?"[/color] 

	James breathed a quick sigh of relief. [color=firebrick]"Naw ma'am, that'd surprise the hell outta me."[/color] 

[hr][hr][center][h1][b][i][color=steelblue]Ash[/color] & [color=0072bc]Thana[/color][/i][/b][/h1][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/C1PwffdEpkd8I/giphy.gif[/img][hr][b]Location:[/b] The Meeting[/center][hr]	

        Ash regarded the question soberly. If he were being completely objective, he might say that yes, he was indeed okay. This was par for the course, considering the world they lived in now. But it might not be the most emotionally honest thing he had ever said. As the Hordebuster rolled over the highway intersection, he responded neutrally, [color=steelblue]"Yeah, sorry. Stress. Trying to get my Game Face on."[/color] he permitted himself a chuckle at his expense, [color=steelblue]"Not how I expected my morning to go. I'm glad you're here."[/color] 

	[color=0072bc]"I really don't think this was how any of us expected this day to go,"[/color] Thana said as she glanced over towards Ash. Reaching out she placed her hand on his shoulder for a minute, giving him a bit of a reassuring squeeze. Letting out a breath she let her attention face forward again and her hand fall away. This was NOT how she expected today to go that was for sure, especially after the night before. That had been bliss, this was starting to border on hell. Leaning forward she tried to get a better view of the road as they continued, it was harder and harder to see the tracks in certain spots because of the melting but the patches that were left, it was as clear as day thankfully. 

	As the truck crossed over the highway, the pair found themselves coming up on a high school to the left of the road. Bleak, with low fencing around the campus. It stood as a testament to the fact that the city of Newnan used to be a prosperous and populated area. It also stood as the last series of buildings before trees dominated either side of the road. Ash noticed Thana peering ahead and gave comment. [color=steelblue]"Unless the tank changes direction just after this school, there's no point in looking for tracks."[/color] he began, cracking the window just a bit to better hear outside. [color=steelblue]"Past the next road, there's not a whole lot of places to go."[/color]  

	Quirking a brow Thana leaned back in her seat. [color=0072bc]"I doubt a tree would stop a tank,"[/color] she mused. Sure there might not be a lot of road to turn down different directions, from what Ash was saying at least, but that didn't mean the tank didn't chose a more off road route. Might have actually been one of the reasons it was still active after all this time. She had lost plenty of vehicles over the years because of down bridges, washed out roads, or even pile ups on the highways she just couldn't get around. A tank gave a person a lot more options. 

	[color=steelblue]"One tree, no. A couple thousand of them might be an interesting speed bump. Up a little is a water treatment plant and a reservoir lake. Civil engineers don't like putting this kind of stuff out in public view."[/color] Ash slowed the truck, coming up to the next intersection. Last chance to see if the big piece of rolling armor took a turn elsewhere. 

	Thana shook her head slightly. [color=0072bc]"With the ground composition in this area, the long freeze we just had, the drastically rising temperature and the quick thaw will have made even Georgia clay weak and would make uprooting even a two hundred year old pecan tree like snapping a toothpick to a tank,"[/color] Thana explained as she watched the road. Turning she looked over towards Ash and smirked a bit. [color=0072bc]"Dr. Thana Martin, Botanist."[/color]

	Ash arched an eyebrow as he looked back at Thana. He was an engineer. It was what he did. But his knowledge revolved around military and civil application. He was not a scientist. [color=steelblue]"Well then, Dr. Martin, I bow to your scientific expertise."[/color] there was the slightest hint of flirtation in his voice. [color=steelblue]"Let's hope they don't know that, either... Hey, do you see where the tracks lead?"[/color] 

	Looking back towards the road, she sighed a bit. [color=0072bc]"That way,"[/color] she said pointing ahead. Resting back in her seat, she adjusted her cap before pulling out one of her side arms and checking it just in case. 

	Nodding grimly, Ash heard the confirmation of his least favorite direction just then. [color=steelblue]"Okay. Let's get to it."[/color] Ash followed Thana's example, chambering a round into his .45 and engaging the safety before slipping it back into his hip holster. He shifted the vehicle into gear, and slowly pulled forward. This was the last opportunity for the tank to have gone elsewhere. Coincidence be damned. Ash breathed out a long sigh and drove the Hordebuster forward. The grim nature of the man approaching what he believed to be the end of the path was belied by the movement of his hand, reaching out to squeeze Thana's hand. 

	[color=0072bc]"What the hell..."[/color] Thana muttered gruffly as she leaned up sightly in her seat and draped her arms over her knees as she watched something coming into view. [color=0072bc]"Do I even want to know?"[/color] she half asked herself, half asked Ash as the tank came into view. Parked in the middle of the road as if it had broken down or out of gas. Hopefully that was it but the way things were going she seriously doubted it. Especially when she spotted the truck and a bunch of people. 

	It was a very interesting scene to drive up to. Nobody was dead. Nobody was fighting. There were three people that he had never met, and four that he did. One, a younger woman, stood over the corpse of one of the Dead holding a machete and a shield that was very familiar to him. He forced himself not to react to what he was seeing. [color=steelblue]"Yeah. Copy "What The Hell". I've got a lot more questions."[/color] 

	Seeing Gavin strolling over to the main group from the side carrying a rather impressive rifle made her wonder even more. [color=0072bc]"Yeah, seems like it is time to pull over Sir and say hello."[/color]

	Wordlessly, Ash nodded his agreement. He brought his heavily modified dump truck forward, bringing it to a rolling stop behind the even more heavily modified tank. He lowered his window the rest of the way and opened the protective grating covering it, even as his other hand strayed to his firearm. Using the diction of a trained military officer who had been exposed to some very nerve racking events, he semi-casually inquired of the Newnan expatriates, [color=steelblue]"Are these guys friends of yours?"[/color]