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[center][color=red][h3]Alek[/h3][/color][/center]

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[color=red]“Damnit, damnit, damnit.” [/color]

Alek was pacing behind the bar of her little shed, shaking her head in irritation. After listening to Ryder and Lauren chat, she had headed to the cafeteria for a bit to get some food. Oddly enough Lauren and Ryder had headed to that same exact place. This time she didn’t listen to whatever they were talking about and chose to ignore them and focus on her breakfast. The pancakes were awesome today, which was weird of her to think since she didn’t even like pancakes. The morning was going pretty well for her after breakfast, that is, until she found out that there was a big meeting happening tonight with Ryder’s crew. The meeting wasn’t the problem, it was the fact that they were going to have it at her bar. 

[color=red]“Of course they are. He always likes a chance to piss me off. “ [/color] She muttered to herself in Russian. That would be the second night in a row that she had to look at Ryder’s face. It was hard enough having to listen and be nice to him for one night, two nights in a row was just irritating. Alek usually wasn’t one to hold as strong of a grudge against someone as she did Ryder, but every time she looked at his face all she could think about was the smile on lips after he shot a bullet through the back of her father’s head. She had known her father was a goner back then since he had been bit, but they had begged Ryder to let them take him out and put him down in their own way. They wanted to be alone when it happened, to give him love in his final moments, but he refused and insisted that he was doing them a ‘favor’. Alek had never seen it that way, no matter how many times she went over it in her head.
[color=red]“Fuck this day..” [/color]


Ryder wasn't exactly sure what they did differently, but the pancakes were fucking amazing today. He made sure to let the cooks know, because the praise was well-deserved. Ryder gave praise when it was due; but he also gave punishment when it was due. He left the mess hall with a place in mind. Alek's. He hadn't heard back from the woman about using her bar for a meeting place. Not that he was asking, but he wanted [i]some[/i] acknowledgement. He found Alek very amusing. He was positive the woman hated his guts. Could he truly blame her? He shot her father in the head when she asked him not to. Back then, Ryder wasn't going to risk some emotional moment turning into weakness, and possibly have a eater running around because somebody wasn't strong enough to off him. It wasn't [i]easy[/i] to pull the trigger, but it was necessary.

He made his way towards the little shed that housed Alek's bar. It was a good setup. Ryder was proud of what they've built together here. It's not only a fortress; it's also a [i]home[/i]. He didn't bother knocking. This was [i]Ryder's[/i] home, after all. He barged in through the door, spinning his bat in a dramatic fashion. He immediately spotted Alek pacing behind her bar. "[color=ed145b]Oh-ho![/color]" he said loudly at the sight of her, walking towards the bar with a grin. "[color=ed145b]Am I interrupting something? Are you fucking stressing about the meeting?[/color]" he looked around, humming. "[color=ed145b]Place looks fucking perfect, Alek! What's wrong, then?[/color]"

The moment Ryder walked through the door there was a visible difference in Alek. She stopped in her pacing and let a look fall over her face. It wasn't the type of look that couldn't be seen through. It was an expression she had worked very hard in building over the last few years and one she took a little pride in. You couldn’t see her hate or disgust, you couldn't see fear like he no doubt expected to see, you really couldn't see anything in her features. It was a true poker face. She breathed in slowly and then shook her head. [color=red] "Nothing wrong."[/color] She said, grabbing a shot glass from behind the table and sliding it towards him. Raising an eyebrow in question, Alek pulled out a bottle of whiskey and held it up. She waited to pour, not knowing if he truly wanted the drink, why waste such a valuable thing after all? 

[color=red]"I lost something is all."[/color] Alek's voice was neither hateful nor pleasing, though it was always hard to tell if she was trying to sound mean or if that was just the way her accent made her voice sound. [color=red]"What can I do for you?" [/color]

It honestly hadn't taken Ryder long to figure out Alek behaved a certain way around him. He talked to his people; he knew others perceived her very differently from the "blank fucking slate" that he did. He would give her that. She had an amazing poker face. One he was honestly proud of her for. It was hard to pull that type of shit off, even harder to face your father's "murderer" and not openly scowl. He slipped onto one of the barstools, setting his bat down on the stool beside him, and eyed the shot glass she had slid towards him. It would be tempting, but surprisingly, Ryder wasn't much of a drinker. Back before this shit, he would be a social drinker, because it was always a good thing to loosen up possible business partners. He applied that to today. Sometimes, he used their stash to his advantage. For now, he rose his hand while shaking his head.

"[color=ed145b]Let's not waste the good shit on little ol' me,[/color]" he joked with a wink, and eyed her for another moment. "[color=ed145b]If you've lost something, sounds like something's wrong.[/color]" he pointed out, resting his elbows on the bar top and humming. "[color=ed145b]I can't visit a good friend?[/color]" he laughed a bit, knowing she was far from a good friend to him. He still liked to fuck with her, though. "[color=ed145b] Seriously, though. What have you lost? I may be able to help.[/color]"

Alek shook her head while placing the bottle on the counter, instead of pouring the drink, and ran a hand through her hair. [color=red]"No need to bother yourself with. It is just a personal item I usually wear."[/color] She was lying of course, but she made it pretty hard to tell that. The item she was speaking of was the necklace with her mother and father's rings on it. She usually wore it every day, but she had been so tired this morning that she had forgot to put it on. In reality it still rested in the small box of her important belongings that rested under her bed. Not wearing it made for a good excuse to give to him, but she cursed herself a little for making him get the idea of snooping around even more than he usually did. Alek didn’t really have much to hide, but it was the point of the matter. People going through her place wasn’t something she liked. [color=red] "I will find it. Only a matter of time." [/color]

Ryder tilted his head to the side, a tick that had been with him almost all his life. It was a good indicator he was actually listening to somebody and taking what they were saying in. Some would say it showed he cared; most would say it was because he was looking for a weakness he could use later against them. He studied her face for a few seconds after she finished speaking. She didn't look like she was lying, yet he didn't trust many people around here. Funny, since he had them for protection. "[color=ed145b]Look, we are in this shit-hole together, so we can help each other-[/color]" the radio on Ryder's hip crackled to life. He was still waiting to hear from the first group that went out, so it was about time they were tuning in.

What came out, though, made his blood go cold. Lauren's voice, cutting through the empty bar, loud and clear, [i][color=0076a3]"Base, base, come in. This is Lauren. Natalia's separated from the group. Large horde, can't stop. We're in the truck. Shit! "[/color][/i] Ryder could barely react before the walkie spat out, [i][color=0076a3]"They are fucking everywhere!"[/color][/i]

Though, it didn't end there. Natalia's voice came through shortly after, sounding as if she was standing in the bar, [i][color=slateblue]"Uh... Yeah.. Yeah I am fine Lauren. It would be dumb coming back, keep going, make sure that girl gets tended to. Check her wounds... I'll see you guys soon.."[/color][/i]

Ryder stared at a spot above Alek's shoulder for a few seconds before his eyes snapped to her. "[color=ed145b]Well,[/color]" he snorted, cracking a grin. Nothing on his face gave away his pounding heart or twisting insides. "[color=ed145b]What a fucking shitstorm going on out there. Seems like this place isn't such a shit-hole, after all.[/color]" he began to reach for the bottle of whiskey, his fingers wrapping around the neck, when the walkie came to life [i]again[/i]. He nearly threw the bottle, his fingers tightening on it briefly, before he released it.

"Hey, boss," a male voice came through, sounding a little shell-shocked.

Ryder ripped the walkie off his belt and held it to his mouth. "[color=ed145b]Go for Ryder,[/color]" his eyes briefly went to Alek. He wondered if it would be a good idea to let her hear what might possibly come through that walkie. It could be something that he wouldn't want everybody knowing, but he wouldn't just up and leave, either. He wanted to show Alek there was [i]some[/i] trust there. Just not complete trust.

"There is a woman approaching us. On horseback... um... singing."

Ryder blinked, looking at the walkie like it just grew a mouth and said those words itself. "[color=ed145b]Come again?[/color]"

"A woman is approaching on horseback, singing... with a white flag that has a red cross on it..." the guy suddenly let out a hiss into the walkie. "Now, she's kicking some infected ass. Hotdamn. I might be in-love."

Ryder was standing up, pushing the glass towards Alek. No time for a drink, it would seem. He needed a clear head anyway. While his worry for Natalia was gnawing at him, and his curiosity about this girl that needed tending to was racing through his head, he had to concentrate on the things that were closer to home. Like a possibly crazy woman who could or could not be a doctor. If she was a doctor, they could use all the doctors they could get. If she wasn't a doctor... Ryder would cross that bridge if it came to it. According to Clyde, his Southern drawl unmistakable, the woman could kick ass. "[color=ed145b]Keep your fucking pants on, Clyde. Which tower?[/color]" he demanded, and lowered the walkie. He winked at Alek. "[color=ed145b]Duty calls, sweetheart. I'll have to come back for that drink later. Perhaps, at the meeting,[/color]" he gave her a wicked grin as he returned the radio to his belt after getting an answer from Clyde. He began to head towards the door, whistling a light tune, his bat resting on his shoulder.


Alek breathed a sigh of relief as Ryder walked out of her bar. Her sigh had nothing to do with being afraid of him, it was more due to the fact she could only stand to be semi nice to him for a certain amount of time. She pulled the shot glass she offered him towards her and poured some whisky into it for herself. [color=red]"British douche,"[/color] Alek muttered in Russian once he was far enough away that he couldn't hear. She brought the shot glass up to her lips then and quickly drank it back. Despite having to look at Ryde, Alek had to admit that she was pretty interested in the woman that one of the guards had spoken about over the radio.  A crazy woman singing on a horse with a red cross flag waving around. It was interesting to say the least, even to Alek, who usually wasn’t interested in much that went on around here. 

[color=red]"Let's see if she makes the cut."[/color] Alek said to no one in particular.