[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CkcFoRc.gif[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/Ef90xLf.png[/img]
[color=ed145b][b]location ➤[/b] checking out the crazy singing lady on horseback > front gates[/color]
[color=ed145b][b]interactions ➤[/b] npcs > lauren ([@Zoey White]); mentions strange singing woman ([@RumikoOhara])[/color]
[color=ed145b]»»————-　☠　————-««[/color][/center]
The instant Ryder's foot met the ground outside of Alek's bar, the grin dropped from his face. Emotions were running wild through him, beating around like hummingbird wings inside his head, but he had to shut it all down. It certainly wasn't the first time he had to push through an overwhelming day, and it certainly wouldn't the last. It came with being a leader of such a large and powerful group, after all. On his way to the tower Clyde was perched on - he could see the idiot looking through his binoculars gawking - his walkie came to life. He stopped mid-step, heart lurching itself into his throat, hoping it was Natalia.

The voice that came through was Robbie's, one of his best scouts, that had went with the group that checked out the first sight of explosions. He sounded winded, panting into the walkie, "Come in, Ryder." 

Ryder immediately felt foolish for his reaction, and straightened himself out. He gave a quick glance around, to assure nobody had saw, before bringing the walkie to his mouth. "[color=ed145b]Well, well, it's about damn time. Quite the shit show out there, gentlemen. Assuming you got caught in the main act?[/color]" he said, continuing his walk towards the tower.

"Yes, sir, we did. Barely escaped. We... lost someone." Robbie said, an undertone of sadness in his voice.

"[color=ed145b]Well, shit,[/color]" Ryder whispered to himself, shaking his head. He didn't enjoy losing good men and women. But, it was a risk they willingly took when they stepped outside the walls. "[color=ed145b]Where are you located?[/color]" he didn't bother asking who. Just another soldier, lost, in this war against the undead.

"On the other side of town, towards the South. The horde was thick. We're going to follow the mountains and get back that way." Robbie sounded like he managed to catch his breath, and Ryder could hear the crunching of rocks beneath boots. No sounds of a truck, though.

Ryder stopped beside the ladder, his other fingers tightening around the handle of his bat. "[color=ed145b]Where's the truck?[/color]" he asked slowly. When no response immediately came, Ryder whispered into the walkie, "[color=ed145b]Are you not going to answer my question?[/color]"

"Y-yes, sir, I am!" Robbie quickly said, a streak of fear in his voice. Ryder's lips twitched upwards. Ryder didn't get off on causing other people fear or pain, but it was a damn good and effective way to lead. It was obvious he was successful by Robbie's reaction. "We lost the truck. During the escape. Wrecked it. I'm really sorry, Ryder." it all came out in one quick breath.

What the fuck else was going to happen today? "[color=ed145b]Get back here within an hour. Run if you fucking have to. If you aren't back within an hour...[/color]" Ryder let the threat hang; the small scouting group already knew they would be punished for losing one of the trucks. Ryder just wanted to make them sweat more.

Ryder didn't bother waiting or even listening for an answer. He knew he wouldn't see them within an hour unless they managed to find another vehicle, which was highly doubtful. This was part of their punishment for losing the truck. The climb to the top of the tower didn't take long; it was easy to master once one did it for as long as Ryder had. Everybody in the group had to be young, fit and capable of pulling their own weight, or else they weren't allowed to stay. They wouldn't gain points, members weren't allowed to help those they weren't working, and they would just starve or have to leave. Even eating in the mess hall took some points, unless somebody was higher up on the food chain. Like Ryder, Natalia, and Lauren. A couple of others were allowed to eat for free, too, but majority of the group had to pay.

He walked over to Clyde, staring at the man who didn't even realize he was there. Ryder rolled his eyes. He was surrounded by dumbasses. The chair Clyde was sitting on the edge of was a simple folding one, one of the only ones light enough to haul up there easily. The fact the man hadn't heard him coming was beyond Ryder's understanding, but Ryder had quickly learned Clyde wasn't the brightest in the group. He did what he was told, and that was about it. Clyde was balancing the chair on its two front legs, elbows propped on the railing as he looked through the binoculars.

Ryder slammed his foot on the back of the seat, causing a loud bang as the chair was forced to sit on its back legs. Clyde jumped up, whirling around with widened eyes, placing a hand over his heart. "Wow, Ryder! You scared me half to death!" he said, shaking his head, and shakily holding out the binoculars.

Ryder chuckled, leaning his bat against the railing and taking the item. "[color=ed145b]How you didn't even hear me come up is beyond me, Clyde. Keep that up, you'll be taken off watch duty, and put back in the fields.[/color]" the leader said, holding the binoculars up to his face.

"O-oh, yes sir, sorry sir!"

Ryder ignored him, searching out the source of supposed singing. He couldn't hear anything, of course, but when he spotted her, he could tell she was singing. "[color=ed145b]What the hell...[/color]" he whispered under his breath.

Somehow, Clyde heard that, but not Ryder coming up the ladder. "I know, right! I wasn't sure I could trust my eyes after seein' 'er!"

"[color=ed145b]Clyde,[/color]" Ryder said calmly, and at the man's acknowledgement, he continued, "[color=ed145b]Shut the fuck up.[/color]"

"Yes sir!"

Ryder sighed quietly and continued to watch the woman. He wasn't an idiot. That flag meant she could be a doctor. But, again, he wasn't an idiot. It could be a lie. She seemed a little crazy, coming up on horseback, [i]singing[/i]. Ryder hadn't seen anything that stupid in a while, and he saw a lot of stupid stuff on a daily basis. He took in what she had on her, from what he could tell. The horse looked nice and healthy. [i]She[/i] looked clean and healthy, from what he could tell. There seemed to be a weapon on her back. He felt himself starting to grin. Oh, if only she knew what she was walking into. A lot of people had an issue when they were told to give up all of their weapons, they were checked over [i]twice[/i], then confined until Ryder had a few talks with them and trusted them enough to let them wander around. After it was all over, and they realized how good they had it, though, they sung a different tune.

He observed the woman a couple more minutes before doing a quick sweep of the area. He knew Lauren should be getting back soon. He saw dust picking up in the distance, a small flash like the sun glinting off something metal. Like a truck, perhaps. There Lauren was. He looked back at the woman, just as his and Clyde's walkie came to life. Lauren's voice came through, almost like an echo with the two walkies right next to each other, [i][color=0076a3]"Toxo base, this is Lauren and the pick-up truck crew, we're almost back to base and... Who the hell is that?"[/color][/i]

He chuckled, grabbing his walkie while still looking through the binoculars. He watched the truck avoid the woman on horseback. "[color=ed145b]Welcome back, princess,[/color]" Ryder said into the walkie, eyes still locked on the horse rider. She was growing closer, and soon, she would be at the gates. "[color=ed145b]We're wondering who the hell that is, as well,[/color]" he answered as the gate was being opened to allow the truck inside.

He shoved the binoculars back into Clyde's hands. "[color=ed145b]Keep an eye on that woman. Any funny business, radio immediately,[/color]" he commanded, and didn't wait for Clyde's acknowledgement as he made his way back down. It didn't take him long to approach the truck that had just rode in. He was walking up in time to see Lauren handing over an injured woman to one of his men. A woman he had never seen before, either. He frowned, waving his bat in the air to catch Lauren's attention. He was relieved to see she had made it back okay, yet he didn't have time to linger in the emotion.

"[color=ed145b]Hold the fuck up![/color]" he shouted as the man - Walter, if memory served - began to rush off. Walter immediately froze at the sound of Ryder's unhappy tone. Ryder grew closer, eyeing the injured woman, and looked at Lauren. "[color=ed145b]What [i]the fuck[/i] is this? Do you think our fucking medical supplies grow out of the ground or on the trees or some shit?[/color]" he demanded, swinging his bat and glaring at each of the three members of the little scouting party. "[color=ed145b]Whose bright ass idea was it to risk life and limb for a fucking stranger that will only waste [i]our[/i] resources?[/color]" he eyed Lauren, highly doubting it was her, leaving only one answer. Natalia [i]had[/i] said to get that woman help. He'd have to have a long talk with her once she got back, because she [i]would[/i] get back.