[IC] 🧚🏻‍♀️ The Walking Dead - Year 6 Part 1

[Lady Absinthia]

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Leann McCormick

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Location: Newnan
Interacting With: Group 2 and Hostage

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This day had turned out to be anything but what Leann had expected but granted in this day and age no one ever truly knew what to expect. Granted, she doubted in anyone's wildest dreams that having to deal with tornadoes spitting out walkers would be on the menu; okay maybe their most twisted dreams but certainly not her. Righting herself she brushed the blood trickling from her nose away and let Ash take over with the captive for the time being. He would need to be secured in the old lock up for the police station but he wasn't really her biggest worry right then, not even the walkers were. How many had managed to breach the walls? The unknown was her main concern.

"Welcome to Newnan," she said as she surveyed the area around them. "Status is two wall sections down, multiple infiltrators whose location is unknown within at least the outer wall and most likely the inner wall. Several member of Newnan are no longer with us due to the attack. Armory is secure. Status of the infirmary is unknown, no word from Vivian, Caesar or James as of yet. You are the first to return. Secure this man to the lock up, set up a post, take the new comers to the armory and set everyone up with two way radios for communication, create a detail for temp wall evaluation and another to begin a sweep of Newnan to clear out any other trespassers - we have one alive, we don't need more. Kill non-Newnanites on site," she ordered rather nonchalantly of Ash.

"It's alright Maria, no need to apologize right now. That is basically what happened. We had a tornado come through, it apparently decided to rain dead on top of us. I think we lost Bessy in the whole ordeal," she said with a grunt when she looked over to Maria. "Oh well, least some good came out of this mess. Glad you found your sister and friend, they are more than welcome here. Especially now, we need all the help we can get to pull through this mess. Let's just hope that was the only tornado we have to deal with this season."

Leann looked over Kristin and Lorna for a moment, sizing them up. From the looks of them they had been through a lot as of late but that was the norm these days with new comers. Lorna was it? Military I take it? You don't look soft enough to have been army or coast guard and sure as hell don't look clean cut enough to be airforce or navy. Marine I presume?" Well doesn't matter, we're all soldiers these days. Intruder numbers is unknown. Five broke through the opening here but three are dead and one is now in custody," she said pointing to the one that Ash was dealing with. "Leaves one that we know of but these folk were smart, they waited for the cover of the storm to truly attack and from the gun fire within the inner wall I would gather there are plenty more."

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Zoie Crawford

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Location: Hwy Outside of Newnan
Interacting With: Victor, Group 1

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"Don't worry darlin' you ain't gonna lose me anytime soon," Zoie said in a reassuring voice, her southern drawl coming out a tad more when she was being sympathetic to others than it normally was. She returned the quick embrace before watching Victor head off into the woods just as the Buster crested the top of the hill. Taking a deep breath she prepped herself for anything. Usually running into people during this day and age was never a good thing; she just hoped for once that the odd would break in her favor. The vehicles size was huge and it would be nice to not have to walk for the next god only knows how many miles; saving shoe leather was a thing these days.

She kept her Beretta at the ready as they approached, her finger on the trigger as her other hand cupped the bottom of it; holding out before her as she readied herself to take quick aim if it came down to it. She perked a brow as the vehicle came up beside her and James hung himself out the window. Well he certainly wasn't what she had pictured driving such a Redneck rigged rig; granted as Richard pipped in, he looked exactly like the type to be in something like that monstrosity - that or on the back of a Harley.

"Well, not everyday someone pulls over to help a gal out, mighty kind of ya'll. Names Zoie, from Albany down south. Ain't got no wanting to kill any of ya long as ya ain't looking to harm me," Zoie said as she stood there, still not holstering her firearms. She was a trusting soul but she wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination.

"Yeah, tank tapped out a few miles back, been running on fumes. It finally gave out a few minutes before you pulled up," she explained before her hand swung back and she fired a round from her Beretta behind her without looking, taking out a Walker right between the eyes. A faint hint of a smile gracing her lips as she kept looking at the two men addressing her; lowering her weapon back in its ready position. Most of the time she hated walkers but being able to take one down quickly in front of new people to her was a welcome thing; quickly let it be known she wasn't some defenseless little thing. She was a HOUSEWIFE!

"And no, I ain't alone," she said before giving a quick whistle to let Victor know things were as calm as one could hope for.. for now. "Froggy, time to jump. Come on out," she yelled; still not taking her eyes off the guys in front of her. "We could use a place to recoup for a bit if ya don't mind. Warning ya though, we won't be doing nuthin' to ya'll long as you are right gentlemanly. But you try anything and I got no qualms turnin' ya from a rooster to a hen with one shot. Got it?" she warned before holstering her pistol on her hip.

[Sigil]

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Black James!

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Location: Road outside of Newnan
Interacting With: Zoie, Richard

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The interjection from his guest in the Hordebuster was noted, though it seemed a little... grainy. He was painted as a reliable and altruistic guy, true, but for all this man in the back knew he was being led away to have his innards broiled in fine brandy and served to mildly ravenous marmosets while still attached to his conscious, breathing body.

Upon hearing himself referred to as "Chocolate Thunder", James felt a bit taken aback. He initially felt insulted, but during the next few nanoseconds, his thoughts drifted toward the more positive aspects of this particular Nom de Guerre. maybe not for himself, but for the next vehicle he gets and makes his own. Ash had the Hordebuster (well technically, HE had the Hordebuster now, but that was a mere detail), and maybe James would have his Chocolate Thunder.

Yeah. He liked the sound of that. Chocolate Thunder.

Basically, his internal monologue looked something like this:

James shot a quizzical look back at Richard. There was something he just couldn't place, but he had more obvious issues at the forefront. Namely, the lady in front of him who threatened small arms castration in the event he attempt anything ungentlemanly. Ironically, his kind of lady.

Now, while the events of his very recent past weighed and muted his more bombastic charisma, it was very difficult to fully squelch the totality that was James Mandingo Grady. He addressed his newest acquaintance as such.

"Why hello, Miss Zoie, and it is just beautiful to hear another South Georgia drawl. You're from Albany? We're practically neighbors! Leesburg, GA, born and raised. Did some o'my best hoggin' out by Albany. Go ahead and climb in the back, if you wanna - you and your friends. It ain't all that comfortable, but it's up off the ground."

"By the way, most my friends call me "Black James!"; seein' as we're neighbors, you can too. C'mon up, we gotta roll."

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Ashton Holloway

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Location: Newnan
Interacting With: Leann, Maria, Kristina, Lorna

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Orders being to kill strangers on sight left a dilemma, what with Ash and Maria having two of them in tow. They seemed trustworthy, even helpful, but as soon as that order went out to the general public, their lives would become perilous inside the walls. He glanced to Kristina and Lorna, then immediately removed his coat and patrol cap.

"Kris, please stay with your sister at all times until we have this sorted out. Lorna, you're with me. Wear these, if you would," he said, handing his coat to Lorna and cap to Kristna, "They'll legitimize your presence somewhat."

The absence of his coat exposed arm coverings; otherwise they resembled fingerless gloves. Obviously not military issue, they were black, close fitting, and covered him from mid-digit to elbow. Ash noticed the odd glance, and felt need to explain. "Industrial cut sleeves. Machinists use them to keep from slashing themselves, and some bouncers. They're good against bites, too."

"Ma'am," Ash started to Leann, "If you would please restrain the prisoner before I remove my foot, I'd be grateful."

"Detain the prisoner, set a guard. Equip at the Armory, radios all around. Evaluate and secure the infirmary. Set details: One for the wall, one to sweep. No more prisoners. Heard on all counts, ma'am." A thought struck suddenly he felt the need to vocalize, "If I might suggest, unless they're already present, we should sound a general assembly at the courthouse. And set a detail to receive and brief the other Run teams."

"Alright, Team A. We have our orders. All together, then. Don't waste bullets on the Dead if you don't have to."

"And welcome to Newnan."

[Nallore]

Maria Smith & Kristina Smith

Location: Newnan, Georgia
Interacting With: Leann McCormick, Ashton Halloway & Lorna Dunn.

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Kristina looked towards Ashton for a moment as he took off his cap and jacket and told her to stay with her sister, which she was pretty much planning on doing anyway since she hadn't seen her in the last three months. "You don't have to tell me twice about that." Kristina said as she put Ashton's hat over her head and looked over towards her sister seeing her smile. Maria turned her attention towards Leann as she gave her status report which didn't sound good, there were way to many unknowns like the number of walkers or the number of attackers. Then the few members of Newnan that died during the initial attack and then the loss of Bessy a cow that she managed to find out during a run a few weeks ago.

"Kris and I can secure the infirmary, if I were to attack a settlement or safe zone and shit hits the fan that's where i'd go." Maria said looking between Leann and Ashton. "But its your call, after we get to the armory we can head straight there and secure things. Or we can wait till the other groups come back that way we have more numbers." Maria suggested. Kristina looked between Lorna her sister and Ashton and Leann, as she tied her hair into a messy pony tail.

[Charnobylisk]

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Frick

In an alternate universe where Froggy is a badass…

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Time: Afternoon
Weather: Normal
Location: Hwy outside Newnan
Interacting With: Each other, Zoie, James, anyone within earshot

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Victor had been watching and waiting patiently and when Zoie’s gunshot had went off, despite him seeing her move, he jumped so high his head hit a low hanging branch. He cradled his head and winced in pain, taking his hand away from the impact area and not finding any blood, the relief that flooded him was a welcome feeling. He gave a smile as he saw a Walker slump to the ground. At least she was shooting at the dead and not the living, so that was a good sign.

That was when he heard the guttural snarl above his head. He instinctively jumped away from the noise and rose his machete to head level, ready to strike. There was an armless Walker with half a torso missing, hanging from its intestines from the branches above. His head knocking the branch must have dislodged it somewhat and he had to thank God that the beast hadn’t landed on top of him. He swung his machete, the blade sinking into the side of the skull. Unfortunately it wasn’t deep enough to kill it, as it kept snapping its grotesque teeth at him. Victor wrinkled his nose and tried to dislodge his machete to try again but it was stuck fast. ”Merde…” He muttered multiple other profanities in his native tongue and continued to yank at the blade.

He rested his foot on the trunk of the tree and pulled with all of his strength. That was when Zoie yelled out his name and he got such a scare that he fell right backwards, taking the half Walker with him. The thing flew right over his head as he landed on his backside, his hands breaking is fall somewhat at each side of himself. ”Zut alors, Victor! Almost keeling yourself…” He grumbled at himself before calling out to Zoie. ”ONE SECOND.” He looked for his machete but the blasted thing was still stuck in its head! He walked over with more than a little agitation and grabbed the handle only to find the damn thing wasn’t budging.

”Forget eet… COMING!” He decided that he’d probably look a little more imposing walking out with a half destroyed Walker on the end of his blade, even if it was still snapping at him. Victor walked out, his pack on his back and a half mutilated Walker trailing along beside him.

Dick had been damn fucking impressed by the shot that, Zoie she’d said, had pulled off just then. Bitch was hot, had a mouth and could shoot. Hot. Fucking. Damn. This one better not get eaten by a Deadbrain too or Dick was going to be pissed. The call for someone called Froggy left a less than clear look on his face as he heard a distinctly French voice calling out from the forest cover. He fucking knew it. Dick silently congratulated himself for another deduction well made. No one could pull the wool over his eyes. Dick opened up the door on his side and swung his legs out, stretching them a little and letting them hang over the side. He’d opened the door to let the newcomers get inside but the leg stretching was an added bonus. He watched as a tall guy, covered in mud, some splatter and bits of the forest dragged a busted up Deadbrain alongside him.

”Well shit. I hope you don’t plan on bringing your new friend along with you. Froggy, was it?” Dick raised an eyebrow and began to let out a low, throaty chuckle. His Ruger was resting on his knee as he sized the guy up.

Victor looked down at the ground rather sheepishly and ignored the comments from the man sitting in the back of the car for now. It wasn’t as important as getting the Walker off of his blade. ”Z, would you mind helping me, s'il vous plaît?” He refused to look up at the loud mouth but motioned a small wave and smile towards the man that had introduced himself as Black James. ”Pleasure to meet you, James.”

Richard continued to chuckle to himself, watching the guy that was a good couple inches taller than he was, ask for help from a small (although damn fine) woman. It really was a comical sight. ”The names Richie, by the by. The two others in the back with me are Di – “ Richard began coughing then, covering the fact that he almost said Dirty Sanchez and only just caught himself in time. ”Sorry about that. Dex and Jaime are their names.” He wasn’t getting kicked out on the road just yet. He wanted to see where this place was and what it had first.

Victor scowled and raised an eyebrow at Richard before making an inquiry. ”’Ave you ingested any Walker matter?” He handed his machete, with Walker still attached, to Zoie and strode quickly and surprisingly quietly towards Richard. ”Open your mouth and say AAAAAAAAAAAAH.” Victor loomed over Richard sitting in the car and nearly knocked Richard backwards into the cab.

”WHOA! Lurch, mind your fucking distance!” Richard waved his Ruger in Victor’s face and growled at him. Victor was fucking lucky that Richard didn’t have an itchy trigger finger or he’d have been worse off than his Deadbrain buddy back there.

Victor stepped back, his hands raised apologetically and his head bowed slightly. ” Excusez-moi, I was just concerned for your health.” Victor backed up and, since he was up beside the car now, he peered into the back cab and gave a friendly wave to the two men sitting in the cab behind Richard and held his hand out towards Black James for a handshake. ”It is a pleasure to meet you all.”

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Lorna Dunn

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Time: Afternoon
Weather: Back to normal
Location: Newnan
Interacting With: Leann, Ash, Maria, Kris and Walkers

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Lorna listened patiently to Leann, nodding at crucial moments where essential information was given and looked around the surrounding area to get a read on the numbers of Walkers still mobile. She spotted a couple that were hunched over what she assumed was one of the dead intruders. She’d deal with those later. When Leann addressed her, Lorna gave a curt nod before replying. ”Yes ma’am. Semper Fi. You’re right about all of it, everyone is a soldier these days. Would be nice if we only had to shoot at damn Walkers but hey, man was a dick before and he’s just a freer shootin’ dick now.”

As Leann rhymed off the numbers of intruders, only knowing that there was definitively one confirmed intruder and more presumed inside, numbers unknown, Lorna gripped the M4 that Ash had so kindly graced her with and her jaw set in a hard line. She was in “kick ass and take names” mode now and was ready to help out their newfound friends.

Ash piped in one Leann was done. She was fine with the team ups but Lorna blinked when he handed her his jacket. She hesitantly took it and then eyed up the wraps on his arms but before she could even ask, he’d answered her unspoken question. He was clearly pretty damn observant, first her status as a Marine, then her desire for the M4 and now her question about his arm wraps. She laughed to herself and put the jacket on, her pack and katana resting between her feet as she did so. Slinging her pack back on her shoulders, her katana on her hip for now beside her machete, Lorna let out another small laugh once Ash was done with his spiel.

”Y’know Cap, if this were any other place and time, a girl would get ideas. First the rifle, then the jacket? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were after somethin’. Good job that I know better.” Lorna walked over to Maria and Kris and gave them both a quick hug. ”You two be careful now, ya hear?” She couldn’t help but ruffle Kris’s hair once more and gave Maria a quick peck on the cheek. ”Keep safe. Shoot straight. Keep your wits about you. We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.”

Lorna turned back to Ash and saw the two walkers now heading their way, albeit very slowly. They must’ve gotten bored with their unchallenging meal. Shame for them. Lorna excused herself for a moment and strode forward, her katana blade chimed as she swept it out of its sheath. She moved in two fluid motions and sliced clean through the skulls of each Walker. A little blood sprayed over her front, getting some on Ash’s jacket. She’d clean it before giving it back to him. She began to walk away when something grabbed at her foot. Half a Walker had been dragging itself through the grass. Lorna raised an eyebrow and snorted derisively. She raised a boot and stomped down hard. The tell-tale sound of cracking bone and squelching innards alerted her that her job was done. Lorna walked briskly back beside Ash. ”Sorry about the jacket, I’ll clean it after we clear out the vermin. Where to, boss?”

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[Lady Absinthia]

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Leann McCormick

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Location: Newnan
Interacting With: Group 2, Vivian, and Hostage

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Leann nodded towards Ash and pulled out a ziptie from her pocket, pulling the mans arms behind his back and securing him tight enough that if he struggled it would cut into his wrists. Taking a step back she grabbed the man and pulled him to his feet. He was in pretty bad shape but that would be taken care of later.

"Hold still," she ordered the man before pulling her walkie from her hip. "Doc, we have secured an intruder, taking him to lock up. You need to come over and check him out, bullet wound to the leg." Leann waited a moment but there was no reply. She looked over towards Ash and sighed slightly. "Vivian, report!"

"Later, I have a bullet wound to the chest I am dealing with!" snapped in from the other end.

"Who's injured?"

"Me bitch!" The radio went silent.

"Ash, everyone, to the infirmary first, now. We lose Doc we're fucked if anyone else gets hurt," she ordered before securing the walkie at her side and grabbing the prisoner and shoving him forward as she started headed towards the infirmary. This was not good, Newnan was breached, people were hurt, walls down, walkers everywhere and now Doc was injured. "Ash, Lorna - Clear a path. Parent Trap - Cover the rear."

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Zoie Crawford

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Location: Hwy Outside of Newnan
Interacting With: Victor, Group 1

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Zoie stood there waiting on Victor to come out of the forest and join her and perked a brow slightly when James started talking, her eyes widening some what before she chuckled. "Well dog my cats! We ain't neighbors, we're practically family! I was born in Leesburg! Went to Lee County High, used to get into all kinds of trouble growing up heading out down Palmyra road and shit. Remember that horrible old building us 5th graders were forced to use for plays? Damn hinny of mine still has a pitch mark from them wooden seats. I know who you be, more than ya know! I'm Crawford, ya'll's hometown sweetheart and local kicker of much ass. Used to be on the Tae Kwon Do Team for Young's down on Slappy. You brought us that damn fine hog in after nationals that year. Some mighty fine eats, me ma made them fried green tomatoes you went ape shit over. Said never thought a damned yankee could master soul food," Zoie laughed as her full southern came out in force. She couldn't believe it. Someone she actually knew. Well not knew but knew of and had met before. So today was looking to turn out a bit better than she had hoped. James was a legend where she grew up, she knew he could handle himself and if climbing in his truck meant the possibility of some Fire Pit Hog, she was all for it.

It was about that time that Froggy finally made an appearance and Zoie got a look of mirth on her features as he came out of the woods with the Walker on the end of his machete. She doubled over laughing at the sight. "Ya'll, that be Froggy," she laughed, as she straightened herself, wiping the tears from her eyes and taking the machete from Victor; still chuckling. "But of course," she said shaking her head, the smile still plastered on her lips. Turning she held the handle fast and brought her foot up, kicking the damn thing off the blade and sending it spilling onto the concrete. One quick downwards thrust and she planted the blade back into its skull, quickly killing it.

Turning she dropped the machete as she saw Dick pull his gun and start waving it around at Victor. Two long steps and she launched into the back cab of the truck as she drew her knife. One knee landed on the seat beside Dick, the other planted squarely into his shoulder as she pushed him back against the others in the back cab; the blade of her knife pressed against his throat. She was basically half straddling the man, half in a split with her free hand on the back of the truck holding her spot. She looked at the other two who hadn't said anything for a moment.

"Pardon me boys, this just take a second," she said before she leaned in close, her nose brushing against Dicks as she narrowed her eyes. "Now Honkey Tonk, you listen and you listen good. That be me friend there, Foggy to me means more than a set of deep fried legs on a plate with some grits. Ya get me? Pull another weapon on him and I swear to sweet baby Jesus I be guttin' and skinnin' you like a rabbit I'm about to fricassee. We got an understandin' sweetie?" she warned him in a rather stern voice but she had the sweetest smile playing on her lips. Giving a quick nod she patted him on the head and climbed back out of the cab. "Gentlemen," she said with a tip of her head as she sheathed her knife. Picking up her bag and the machete she handed it over to Victor.

"Alright Froggy, time to jump. Back of the truck," she said as she climbed up the side and rested her ass on the top of the bucket and her feet planted squarely on the hood. Taking her shot gun out she readied it as she waited for Victor to climb in the back before giving two solid pounds with the side of her fist so James would know he could take off.

[Dixie Fiend]

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Dexter Sterling

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● Interacting With: Black James, Richard, Jaime, the two Strangers.
● Location: Hoganville, Troup County
● Time: Morning-Afternoon

It wouldn't be the first time Dexter cracked a joke at the wrong time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Although, in his defense, he felt like he was about to have an emotional breakdown over needing that cigarette. " Are you serious? Did you not just see what happened? Unless you wanna walk, you gonna shut up about CIGARETTE and sit the fuck down! " At the corners of his lips was originally the ghost of a smile, but as he met eyes with James it began to quickly deteriorate. Dexter sunk bank into his seat, shoulders slumping as he felt like a scolded child. He glanced sidelong towards Richard, looking for some sort of relief from the awkward position he had put himself in, and in some ways he found it.

Dexter peeled his eyes away from Richard, looking back over James' shoulder in silence. His expression was blank now as he thought to himself. He wanted to apologize, but it wouldn't mean anything – not now. Dexter was just a random person James had only recently met, that was fully disposable and possibly dangerous to him and his friends in Newnan – although he wasn't, you could never really trust a stranger nowadays. He decided it'd be better to properly apologize for what happened, for Alicia's death, at a time when Dexter wasn't a stranger. When his word meant something.

And so he kept his lips together, chewing at the corners uncomfortably as they began to pull around the driveway and head for the street. Dexter held himself close and kept his eyes off the windows as the vehicle rattled and thundered against the cold bodies on the outside. The sound of it was definitely memorable, Dexter reflected as James cleared the horde and broke out into the street at a modest speed.

The radio cackled briefly but Dexter couldn't make out what was being said. James turned and spoke to them, something about some place being hit? Dexter looked between the two, agreeing with Richard reluctantly. ” You think we wanna get left the fuck out here while you guys appear to having working radios and shit? Hell no. Keep drivin’, chocolate thunder. We’re coming with you. ”

There was a call, an actual call from an actual phone, with an actual person talking on the other end. Dexter was curious but he tried not to show it, opting to turn head and stare out a window aimlessly as he listened. The conversation was short, morbid. The woman who died meant something to someone, whoever it was on the other end. James conveyed that pretty well. Dexter didn't have much time to think over what was being said when it ended, and the Buster began to slow down and careen towards the side of the road.

Another survivor? In a single day? Dexter's luck, or rather that of his group's, was either outrageously fortunate or... The opposite. They were still open to being shot, or stabbed, or worse by any one of these new people. Yes, worse. They could be the fucking scum of the earth and like comic books. Those people were horrible. Books with pictures are for children. Or so Dexter believed.

He tried to pretend that he didn't give a shit about the new people, and instead watched Richard as the guy stuck his head out one of the windows of the cab. ” Run outta gas or somethin’? This fella here just saved our asses from a herd of Deadbrains. He’s a stand-up guy who’s got shit to do and hates to leave anyone behind if he thinks he can help. You all alone out here? ” Strange. For such a hateful guy, he sure was throwing a lot of admiration and credit towards James. Black James, specifically. Dexter couldn't blame him though, in this world it was a good idea to talk others up. Dexter made sure to do so whenever Richard was especially being a dick.

Then Dexter's train of thought was interrupted as Richard shouldered into him. " Hey-.. " He stopped his initially annoyed response, his eyes lifting up at a strangers face. Up until that point he hadn't even noticed how much time had passed, the scuffle with "Froggy" and "Dick" a mere couple feet away from where he sat – and now some... Lady. A Lady. Not to be confused with Lady A. Was looming over Richard with some sort of weapon, or wasn't, Dexter couldn't really get a good look.

" Pardon me boys, this just take a second, " Dexter nodded slowly, his eyes glued – slightly glaring, but not quite – to the stranger. He didn't like her, Dexter established. He further justified these thoughts as she spoke more and more. He hated her voice. And her accent.

Dexter never really picked up a heavy "southern" accent himself, which he attributes to his parents and other family.. But there are certain words and phrases he can't help but let sail with a Tennessee-like twang, and it annoyed the shit out of him when he caught himself doing it. Black James on the other hand... Well he was a guy? And his voice was fitting. And... Well, maybe Dexter was a little sexist and had double standards.

He drew his eyes to one of the windows as two thuds from the back came and the Buster began to roll out, much like a ragtag Autobot. Roll out. Roll. Roll up. Dexter had to resist the urge for asking about that cigarette again, biting down on his tongue to distract himself. He was very out-of-it, tired almost, but he didn't let it show too much.

Instead Dexter forced a slight scowl of sorts, trying to make an expression of determination – and he thumbed the inside of his shirt at his waist, running his hand over the grip of his empty pistol as if he was ready to take on any danger that the group would soon run into. In reality it probably looked like he was constipated or something.

[Aewin]

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Time: Afternoon
Location: On the road
Interacting with: Caesar

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Something was going on back there; Meg couldn't tell. From the mirror, Meg could see that Caesar was shattered. Shattered probably didn't even cover it enough. Something was wrong, and Meg didn't want to ask. It didn't take long for her to put two and two together anyway: he called Alicia's satellite phone, and the next thing you know, it looked like he was ready to break.

Meg sent a silent prayer above, to Lady Luck or whoever fuck was still listening. Sure, they weren't the closest friends, but Meg definitely liked Alicia. The last person Meg expected to fall was Alicia. Or at least one of the last few people anyway. Instead, she nudged the newbie beside her, nodding towards the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat where the map was shoved. "Look, I need you to take the map out from in there and tell me the directions back to Newnan, GA. Preferably avoiding Hwy 27 and the quickest way back." She ordered, keeping her eyes on the road.

If Alicia down, Meg was sure not to let Caesar follow her anytime soon. It was the least she could do for her friend. At least get him back to Newnan to deal with the loss - away from imminent danger. Meg gave the newbie beside her enough time to read through and voice out the directions, which Meg followed to the best of her abilities.

She took the off-roads, anything that didn't force her to take a u-turn back towards where they came from. That was the last thing she wanted to do now that they had escaped the giant fucking hoard. It took longer, but at least there wasn't as much death or danger waiting for them. Meg even took the time to spare a glance at the male newbie, the other still being treated at the back by Caesar, but of course, it was just a glance and her attention was taken back by the roads in front.

Arriving at Newnan was probably the shocking bit. The wall was down, and it looked like there was a storm of zombies that managed to wreck the interior of the town. Stopping short after the entrance, Meg stopped the truck and stumbled outside with numb legs. "W-we're here. Fuck, not the welcome I was hoping for, I'll admit that." She muttered to herself, nervously. Turning to the back of the truck, where she last saw Caesar and the second survivor, Meg approached them carefully. "I'll take her to the infirmary for you," she offered.

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Time: Afternoon
Location: Newnan
Interacting with: Vivian

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Letting the doc collapse against the gurney first, Sidd massaged his shoulder as he looked around the infirmary. There was a crash from above and Sidd wasn't sure whether they were secure enough. If someone - or something - were to find their way inside, they'd not only find a (shitty) gold mine filled with half-empty medication and equipment, but two cornered individual, one of which bleeding to death. "Let's hope that whatever was up there, stays up there." He muttered, before following Vivian's orders.

First up, was the gauze, suture kit and scalpel. Sure, Sidd wasn't always found in the infirmary, but thanks to Viv's insistance to drill the locations and names of each equipment was Sid able to help her in this situation. Or help as much as he could.

Vivian's walkie hissed, Captain Newnan on the other end. He tried treating the wound as much as he could - but he was no boyscout. The most he knew about first aid was slapping a bandaid on top of the wound with a little bit of antiseptic and hoping for the best.

[SgtEasy]

Jonas Soberano

Interacting with Victoria, Caesar Gonzalez @Sigil and Meghna Kumar @Aewin
Special Mention: @Lady Amalthea

---

Jonas eyed Caesar with tired and knowing eyes before looking down at the lightly breathing form of Victoria. He softly caressed the side of her face, sighing heavily, trembling fingers in display. It seemed as though the man next to him had lost someone. Someone important. A loved one. He felt sad for the stranger although he also felt a little bit of relief. Relief that it was another man, not him, that would have a love one die. It was selfish and mean, totally unlike what the Filipino usually is but he was still human. He was just glad that his partner could live. It seemed as though she was resting and as he kissed her forehead, her eyes fluttered open, revealing those big blue orbs. He smiled and whispered in her ear. "Just rest Vic. We're safe now." She closed her eyes again, sleeping.

He didn't know why he stuck with her for all these years. He could've easily just left her for dead in all of those life threatening situations and be done with it. 'Because she did the same with you.' He grazed his thumb over her forehead before taking another glance at the Mexican. He had to say something, he couldn't just sit there and look like an idiot while this stranger wept over a loved one. He was lucky. He still had Victoria. Running a hand through his hair, he spoke to him, voice a whisper but still audible to those around him.

"I don't know what it's like to lose someone. I've only had Victoria to hang around with since the Outbreak. You all seem like good people. I need to say thank you. For saving us both. And I'm sorry for your loss." It was sincere, meaningful but he wasn't sure if it was to even reach his ears. He kept silent until they came to a complete stop. There seemed to be another fucking problem, a breakthrough in their walls. Spitting in disgust at Lady Luck and her crap, he grabbed his rifle and shouldered it, checking the scope. He lowered the sniper rifle and turned to the voice behind him.

"Aye, that'd be appreciated. Take care of her, she's..." He glanced at her, bruised and beaten form laying on the cold pickup truck. "important to me. I could escort you if ya want, seems as though you have a little problem." He glanced back at the horde of zombies. His face was grim, finger tightening around his trusted gun.

[Sigil]

---

Ashton Holloway

---

Location: Newnan, inside the outer wall
Interacting With: Leann, Maria, Kristina, Lorna

---

So the plan had changed. If the Armory was indeed secure, then obviously the Infirmary had priority. Doc Viv was treating her own chest wound, which sounded a LOT like something she'd do; Ash had his reservations about the woman, but there was no denying her stamina and tenacity. She was a survivor, even if she had to bury everyone else around her. There was an odd, wary respect there.

Then again, an upper torso shot was tricky in the best of times. During an apocalypse, patching yourself? Yeah. Vivian was the only doctor on premesis, and a doctor, any kind of, was worth more than gold. The irony with that expression being, gold was damned near worthless these days. If their stockpile of weapons was indeed safe, then she was the biggest priority.

Now, of course, the trick was to get into the inner wall while dragging a wounded enemy along.

This place crawled. Ash saw the Dead everywhere, in various states of mobility. Plus an unknown number of living hostiles. Standing around was doing them zero good, and they had just received marching orders. Ash kept his machete and .45 where they were, nodded to Lorna, and assumed the vanguard alongside her. The removal of Ash's jacket displayed a rather large knife, definitely not military issue, with a nasty looking knuckle duster. The jacket found a fitting temporary home on their new Marine ally; between it and the M4, Lorna looked quite at home.

The best the group could manage was a brisk walk, what with their unwilling, injured cargo. Straight up the main road. While it may have made them targets for any snipers laying in wait, Ash sincerely doubted they their unwanted visitors had the time to select and occupy strategic attack points within the area. Besides, Leann and Ash knew these streets better than anyone. If there was a suspicious position, they'd be able to avoid with little difficulty. The Dead, on the other hand - he wanted to see them coming.

"Ash, Lorna - Clear a path." came Leann's order. Ash nodded, responding "Yes ma'am. It's in my job description.

The observant combat engineer kept his eyes peeled for the first in what promised to be a long string of aggressive corpses. True, one could see them milling about in the distance (a difficulty that would have to be swept away later), but his mind kept him on more immediate threats.

The nearest Walker was a particularly nasty one whose impact on the blacktop liquefied it from the waist down. A matter of irony, it was incapable of actually walking. Ash jogged ahead and planted his blade into the side of its head, rendering it inert. He twisted the blade free and waited for the others to catch up.

Lorna certainly seemed to handle her first Newnan kill with gusto, complete with mildly sarcastic concern for his jacket: ”Sorry about the jacket, I’ll clean it after we clear out the vermin. Where to, boss?”

"Clothes get dirty, even in Newnan. I'm sure I'll find my way to forgive you." Moving forward, Ash scanned the immediate area, noting clusters of two and three between the team and their destination. He wished he had his bow. It would have made the situation easier. He raised a hand to stop their progress, motioned to his eyes and pointed ahead. Almost from nowhere, he remembered Lorna's comment from earlier, concerning him being "after somethin'". Ash smiled, addressing his new partner.

"Don't you worry, Ma'am. I'm spoken for. You'll like her, too - major hardass. Makes life interesting."

---

Black James!

---

Location: Road outside of Newnan
Interacting With: Zoie

---

"That was you? Well hell, little lady, I've heard of you, too! ...and I do miss green tomatoes. Can't wait till the harvest comes in. Hey, climb yo ass aboard the 'Buster and let's get outta here. We can talk more after we do what we gotta do back home.

Zoie's treatment of one of the Ralls Rd. survivors, "Froggy to me means more than a set of deep fried legs on a plate with some grits.", instead of being offputting, just reminded him how much he missed grits, too.

"...mmm... Can't wait until the corn comes in, neither..."

The moment he heard two bangs on the roof, James shifted the Hordebuster into gear and started them back on the road. He wasn't sure what he'd find when they got back, but he had people now, a fair amount of them. If they could look beyond whatever the hell reason Leann recalled them, maybe they'd be willing to pitch in and make their little slice of not-quite-hell a little perkier.

Plus, it's where he kept all his stuff.

Seven more minutes found him within sight of Newnan. He pulled the 'Buster to an abrupt stop. No so abrupt as to cause Zoie to spill over the front, Superman style, but a little rough nonetheless. What he saw gave him pause.

There was a gaping hole in the wall near the main gate. The remains of several already rotting corpses lay strewn across the countryside, on and around buildings, twitching incessantly or not at all, some few (comparatively) still out and about, cruising the area around downtown looking for something warm and moist to chew on.

There was no way in hell he was going to let any of these people out here. "Hey girl!" he called through cracked window up to Zoie, "You sit tight up there, don't you come down now, ok?" James turned his attention to the people inside the vehicle, and continued. "We might have a problem. We're here, don't you worry, but I was right. Somethin's powerful fucked-up 'round here."

James figured the best chance for surviving would involve them staying right where they were until proven otherwise. He grabbed his Barrett .50, swung open the grating around his window, and carefully raised it up to Zoie. "If'n you intend to stay up there, little lady, you might wanna take a more proactive approach. Get me? Otherwise hop on in back."

"But watch out, we've got friends in there. And away we go..."

Foregoing the gate proper, James maneuvered the Hordebuster through the gaping hole in the outer wall. When he saw the totality of the splattage left by the unprecedented force of nature (the unwitnessed Zombnado), he took the moment to truly appreciate the scene, in the manner prescribed by his upbringing:

With that, the intrepid group consisting of James, Richard, Jamie, Dexter, Zoie, and Doc Froggy rolled at a cautious pace up the main thoroughfare inside the apocalyptic street beast well known to the Newnanites as The Hordebuster.

[Nallore]

Maria Smith & Kristina Smith

Location: Newnan, Georgia
Interacting With: Leann McCormick, Ashton Halloway & Lorna Dunn.

---

---

”You two be careful now, ya hear? Keep safe. Shoot straight. Keep your wits about you. We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.” Kristina nodded and smiled slightly when Lorna ruffled her hair, she saw her as another older sister and she was grateful for keeping her safe, she nodded. "I've got your back Lorna." Kristina said as she fixed up her hair, and looked towards Maria seeing Lorna kissing her sister on the cheek noticing her sister blush slightly. "We will be careful, we will follow your guys lead." Maria unslung her bow and notched an arrow, she looked towards Leann as she forced the prisoner onto his feet and Ashton and Lorna leading the group down the main road.

Maria noticed a walker on its knees noming away on one of the intruders, she pulled the bow string back and fired a single shot right into it's head causing the Walker's body to collapse onto the body it was feeding off of. Maria started to approach the walker's body to pull out the arrow that she had just used. One of the good things about using a bow was that the arrows could easily be reused, Kris quickly ran towards her sister and managed to stab an oncoming walker that was approaching her sister. Kristina looked towards her sister and smiled slightly towards her. "Your welcome sis." Kristina said as she quickly caught up with the rest of the group.

Maria simply shook her head at her sister as she followed behind Leann and the others, she would look out around the buildings there were so many bodies littering the streets as well as the buildings, it was going to take quiet a bit of time to remove the dead and the intruders.

[Lady Absinthia]

---

---

Vivian Ormerod

---

---

Location: Newnan Infirmary
Interacting With: Sid

---

Vivian groaned as she tossed the two way radio down on the gurney. They wanted her to rush over to lock up after Walkers just flew through the air like a milk shake in the blender with the lid left off. Seriously? Other than her, there were probably Newnanites that would be needing attending to. Some Jack-ass that was part of the group that put a bullet through her chest was at the bottom of her to help lost and just moved right past Alicia to male the top of her Kill Parade. She'd get to him and when she did he'd wished she hadn't.

Hissing she pushed Sid back, sure he was trying to help but he doing no better than pushing the blood around and every so often pushing way to hard into the open wound. "Trying to kill me?" she snapped as she leaned there weakly against the gruney. "Go to the fridge, get two bags of A+ blood, shove them down your pants, grab a blood transfusion kit, and get back over here," she snapped as she slowly managed to get up onto the gurney itself. It might have sound absurd but it was a quick way to warm the blood, his twig and giggle berries would just have to get over it.

Picking up the items he had brought over before hand she started doing what she could to patch herself up. It was hard though. She had a lot of blood loss, could only use her non dominant hand, was doing it in reverse and on herself with no anesthetic to numb the wound as she pushed the curved needle through. What's worse, she might have to count on Sid to stitch up the exit wound. Fucking hell...

[Sigil]

---

Caesar Gonzalez

---

Location: Newnan
Interacting With: The Dead, his own demons

---

Caesar's brain was adrift in a haze of rage and pain. He could clearly see his baby girl in his mind's eye, back during the halcyon days of her childhood. A bright, happy child, with long dark hair and a perpetual smile on her face. He remembered giving Alicia her first knife - it was a switchblade, classic stiletto style. It was like a toy; her training like a game. "Oh, good, you got a point on Papi! Ok, Papi needs to go lie down and maybe get some stitches."

She liked street food and sharp things. Fútbol, bareknuckle boxing, and spending time with her father. But she was a big girl. She knew the risks. He just wished, prayed, that it was him taken by the horde instead of Alicia. He was an old man. It was closer to his time anyway.

His thoughts drifted away from his only legitimate daughter, interrupted by one of the survivors they had picked up. He was offering condolences, he assumed. He had the look of a man trying a little too hard to appear sympathetic. It could be that Caesar's attitude was coloring his perception. At any rate, it would be unfair to vent his frustrations on him, regardless of his intention.

He didn't move, didn't speak. Didn't twitch a muscle, except to stare at the man with red-rimmed eyes. After an uncomfortable moment, he returned his vision to the abstract distance, spending the rest of the drive in silence.

The return to Newnan did nothing to lift his spirits, particlarly considering the compromised state of the place. He was still unable or unwilling to find the means to verbally express himself, but he did begin to stir from his grief-induced stupor. Caesar looked to the injured girl. A makeshift splint comprised mostly of duct tape and old cardboard steadied her break. She could not be moved outside of the truck bed, at least not far before the splint folded. They had to get to the infirmary.

Unfortunately, a vast array of dead people stood between them and the inner wall. Any one of them could reach in and snatch the young lady, or a group could hold up the truck before it got to where it needed to go. No one else was going to die today. Not if he could help it.

Caesar became as a creature of instinct. The old man fell away, replaced by a feral creature with a handlebar moustache and bared teeth. He was El Jefe. El Jefe continues. El Jefe is a force of fucking nature.

Caesar jumped from the back of the truck yet again, both machetes free before he hit the ground. The raging meleeist ran in front of the slow moving truck, hair trailing behind him as some manner of knight's favor or latino superhero's cape. He quickly closed the distance between Meghna at the wheel and a smallish group of shambling dead at their twelve.

El Jefe exploded into a Living Mexican Cuisinart.

His signature blades led the way, whirling in front of him in a synchronized pattern; figure eights over figure eights, designed to cause retreat in a living opponent and open up their defense. Against the Dead, if formed a dynamic barrier, lopping off bits of hand and moving bodies off to the side. It opened a path, allowing his machetes equal access to the monsters around him.

His left machete parried away a grapple initiated by the Walker in front of him, giving ample room for his right to enter its cranium from below, black blood and ichor spilling from underneath its chin as it twitched and groaned no more. Shifting his weight, he whirled the stilled corpse into the path of another, knocking both of them to the ground as his blade pulled free with a sickening squeltching sound; the noise of barely liquefying bone being torn away from itself by tempered steel.

Another corpse, snarling, stretched its mouth wide, unnaturally wider than human anatomy would allow; unrestrained by intact connecting tissues at it was. It bore down on Caesar's exposed upper arm, chomping solidly and leaning into its prize of living meat.

Except that it couldn't.

Teeth, upper and lower, found the edge and flat of the old man's oversized chopper, denying it a meal and another life lost. A swipe with his free blade opened its abdomen, making the ground perilous with slippery, putrefied innards. Simultaneously, the dentally mired weapon twisted perpendicularly to its previous angle, depriving the creature of several of its teeth before a backhanded slash deprived it of the top of its head. A blackened tongue and bit of brain cervical vertebrae worked atop a decaying mandible for a heartbeat, maybe less, before the former person gave up the ghost for a second time. It collapsed into a heap atop its own removed intestines, a threat to the living no longer.

The third and last Dead One had righted itself and stumbled at its would-be dispatcher, mindless to the momentary carnage it would be subjected to. Caesar ducked low and circled his machetes around, one after the other, cutting the disgusting thing off at the knees. It attempted to step one more time, only succeeding in falling forward as shins, ankles, and feet stayed behind, unresponsive to the commands of their dead master. Gravity and momentum propelled the now much shorter Walker onto the extended blade of Caesar. It was held aloft on that merciless plane of sharpened steel by adrenaline and the solid willpower of a man who had just experienced the deepest loss of his life, and sought to punish something in the meantime.

His free blade smashed into its head. Then again. And again. And again. The abomination slid off of the extended machete, dropping to the ground with a lifeless, squishy plop. But Caesar didn't care. He hacked at the thing's head again and again, over and over, relentlessly, doggedly. A growl of rage and aggression escaped from behind angry teeth, building until anger began to be choked off with sorrow, deep and profound.

The tide of emotion nearly overpowered him. He sunk to one knee, breathing heavily. The old man leaned on one machete, panting, before rising to stand tall. He didn't care how many of these things there were in his home. His home. Nor did he care who destroyed the wall and brought them there.

They were all going to die. Every last one.

The truck pulled up behind him, its road clear. Time to move again. Time to cut a swath to the Infirmary.

[Charnobylisk]

---

Frick

---

Time: Afternoon
Weather: Normal
Location: Newnan
Interacting With: Each other, James, Dexter, Jaime and Zoie.

---

Shit she knew Banjo Lips. Meh, he could overlook it maybe, depending how good she was in the sack. He turned to look at her again as Victor moved out of his way but no sooner had he moved to turn his head than she was on top of him. Nose to nose. Shit she was warm. Richard squirmed a little, trying to pretend like Sanchez and Dex weren’t right behind him, pressed again his back while he took in every little bit of his new obsession. He shifted his lower half, trying to knock her off at first before realising that he actually didn’t mind this situation beyond the two guys being here too. He relaxed himself and smiled silently, listening to her. His face was in a cloudy haze as she near enough damn well rode his fucking bones without the most fun, and naked, part of it.

Well that did it. Dick was in love. He grinned as she made her threats and he damn well believed every single one of them. This was going to be fun. He watched as she jumped off him and told Froggy to get in back. Richard got out the cab and motioned to let the doctor sit inside, so that Richard could keep his perch at the window. Victor remained quiet and entered the vehicle with his machete and pack in hand. He gave a smile to Zoie by way of thanks before his head disappeared inside. He appreciated that she took care of him, more than he really verbalised.

As he waited for Froggy to get inside, he looked up to Zoie in her perch and grinned. ”Hey now, I meant no harm. Just watchin’ my six. Suddenly having a huge, French man lumbering towards me and demanding that I open my mouth ain’t exactly fucking welcoming. Y’know? But consider yourself heard.” He gave her a wink and smug little smile before he, quite openly fixed his lower regions (without full on pulling it out) before ducking back into the now uncomfortably full cab and shut the door over. He heard the two pounds on the beast and they were off, heading to wherever Banjo Lips was taking them.

This day might have been bad to start with but it seemed to be looking up for Richard. Sure he might need to damn with a nigger, beaner and a frog but he could deal with that if it meant he might get to deal with electricity, running water and now, the sweet piece of ass they’d just picked up. And no, he didn’t mean Froggy. The only thing that could make this day any better is if Banjo Lips or Dirty Sanchez bit the bullet. He was rooting for Sanchez in this race but would be happy with either or. But if Banjo Lips kicked it then who’d take them to this settlement? Okay, Dirty Sanchez it was.

---

The carnage at Newnan was apparent even before they entered it. Victor couldn’t really see too much considering Richard was covering the entire window as he looked out of it and there were two other people in the way of the other window. He simply sat in silence, content that he was no longer in the open or walking to their destination.

Richard saw the mess of Deadbrain bodies scattered here, there and everywhere. He was glad he’d missed whatever piece of hell that ripped through here was. He heard the exchange between Zoie and Black James and watched the scene of Newnan unfolding before him. He was glad to be inside the Buster, that was for sure.

---

Lorna Dunn

---

Time: Afternoon
Weather: Normal
Location: Newnan >> Infirmary
Interacting With: Leann, Ash, El Jefe, the sisters and anyone else in the area

---

Lorna gave a curt nod at Leann’s new orders and gripped the rifle, keeping aim with it as she followed Ash’s lead. She surveyed the areas opposite of where Ash was keeping tabs and noticed the same as he did. This was going to take a lot of work to clear up but it would be worth it. Ash gave her a snarky remark back about his jacket and she couldn’t help but grin. She liked Cap, he was a decent guy and a good solider. She was glad to have met him, she decided. “She sounds like my kind of woman. I’ll be happy to meet her when she gets back.”

Slinging her rifle over her head, resting it on her opposite shoulder, Lorna grabbed her katana again slowly. Not letting the metal make noise as she unsheathed the blade. She spied a cluster of two Walkers that were a decent distance away from any other groupings and not in the line of sight that Ash was watching. They were a little too close for comfort. She signalled to Ash that she was heading for them.

She quickly and quietly made her way forward and sliced in one fluid motion, disconnecting their legs at the knees. The two Walkers slumped to the ground and began clawing towards her. One looked much older than the other so she opted to make her boots match, using her clean foot to beat its skull in. The squelching noise as unmistakeable as ever while, simultaneously, her blade chopped off the other ones cranium. The noises were not something Lorna was ever going to get used to.

She made her way back over to the group, her blade being wiped on Ash’s jacket to rid it of the worst of its blood before she sheathed it again. Her rifle was back in her hands and she motioned that they were clear on her side.

She looked forward to where Ash was pointing and her eyes widened for a second before her brow furrowed in concern. “Holy fucking shit…” She hadn’t seen anything like it and she hoped to dear fucking God that this was one of the Newnan bodies and not an intruder. She did not feel like going toe-to-toe with that beast. She watched as he just mowed his way through Walkers like a man utterly possessed and then she realised she knew that demeanour. She knew that face.

He’d lost someone… or maybe he’d just lost his mind? No. There was a kind of “lack of purpose” purpose to his path of destruction. She knew that feeling. She’d been there before. Although this… This was something else entirely. She thought of her dad and of Calvin. Her heart sank, her stomach knotted and her jaw set as she forced herself to forget again. No. Not now. She swallowed the lump in her throat and watched the distraught man clear a path for a truck. Now was probably the time to ask. ”Friend or foe?” She raised an eyebrow and looked to Ash and Leann. Maria and Kris were still bringing up the rear, covering their six.

---

[Aewin]

---

---

Time: Afternoon
Location: Newnan
Interacting with: Jonas

---

Watching the guy offer his condolences to Caesar made Meg feel guilty. She knew she should've been the first to help out, to take over. It was the least she could do for Caesar and Alicia both. It pained her to see Caesar - the Mexican badass look so broken. It was something she never expected to see, not from Caesar.

Not yet anyway.

If Alicia was killed, what did that mean for the rest of thee Newnan group? For her friends? Alicia was strong, she could handle shit on her own. But Meg couldn't. Sid couldn't either - at least Meg could keep fighting and delay her eventual death, but Sid couldn't even do that. What about Maria? Or Leann?

It was the look on Caesar's face that scared Meg the most. Gone was the broken, old man. In was a rage fuelled monster. Caesar was off, killing the dead that was swarming the small group, leaving her and the new kid by the truck. Turning to him, she ordered "Need you to get on the back and make sure she's not stolen by the trucks. Unlike Swiper, the dead aren't going to return her if you wish them away. Shoot the bastards if they get too close." Meg then hopped inside, taking the driver's seat once more and starting up the truck.

While Caesar was clearing out the path ahead, Meg drove the truck (and it's inhabitants) towards safety through the main road. It wasn't long before Meg could see the tell tale silhouettes of others ahead on the path to the infirmary. She could recognise two faces: of Maria and Ash. Meg let a sigh of relief, to see two friends of hers safe, along with two new survivors to help out with the hell-hole they've wandered into.

---

Time: Afternoon
Location: Newnan
Interacting with: Vivian

---

Well shit, the doc was snappy. Sid couldn't blame her of course, she was the one with the gunshot wound between the two of them. She had every right to be snappy. Instead, he swallowed his pride (or what little was left of it) to head over to the fridge. Grabbing the bags of blood in his hands, he shivered at the thought of shoving them down his pants. There was no fucking way this was normal. Couldn't you just microwave the bags?

...oh wait. It's blood. You can't microwave blood.

Hell, you can't microwave blood in the fucking apocalypse.

Sidd quickly shoved the two cold bags down his trousers, his body chilling suddenly as he let out a grunt. "Definitely would've preferred the microwave idea." He muttered to himself under his breath before grabbing the transfusion kit nearby and bringing it over to the snappy doc.

He really wished someone would come to help.

Preferably someone with a working microwave.

---

---

[Lady Absinthia]

---

---

Zoann

---

---

Location: Newnan
Interacting With: The New And Improved Scooby Gang

---

Zoie nodded a bit towards James as she took in the view from where she was, readying her shotgun just in case but she doubted she would need it on the ride back unless something major went down and if anything major enough happened to stop this hulk of a machine they might as well start sending their prayers in to cleanse their souls to sweet baby Jesus cause it was the end. Perking a brow she glanced down at Dick and smirked. The man had some balls trying to play sweet with her and adjusting himself like that. Though with the how good looking he was and with that smile she wondered how many women had had sweet talked into bed before he had laid eyes on her; she could only guess that number had to be pretty high.

"Aww you poor darlin'. All shook up over Froggy, that's sweet," she chuckled as they took off.

Zoie spotted the walls from a distance being up on her perch and her eyes widened. Walls? That was more than she had seen so far since all hell had broke loose, at least to this level; the fact there was a section down from what she could see must be a sign that something was wrong, or maybe it wasn't. She couldn't assume anything. Hopefully this place would be better than the last otherwise her and Froggy were gonna hightail it the fuck out of there. The closer they got the worse things seemed to be. "Well kiss my grits, ain't this more fucked up than a hog trying to saddle a turkey," she muttered as they made their way into the outer wall through the open section. Seeing a group of people running off and walkers everywhere was no good, even if one seemed to be possessed the way he was tearing through them. Taking a deep breath she laid down on top of the cab of the truck and shoved her shotgun at Dick.

"Sit tight Froggy, momma gotta go earn her keep," she said with the most innocent of smiles. Grabbing a hold of the ladder on the side of the truck she swung down, tucking and rolling off to the side when she hit the ground. Coming up she reached under her coat and pulled out her knives; well not really knives more like a cross between a machete and a boomerang. Rolling her shoulders back and flipping them around in her hands as she took in the terrain and what lay before her.

Leann heard the roar of the buster and turned around just in time to see Caesar going ape shit on the Walkers. Least him and Meg were back safe and it seemed they had brought friends. She stopped for a moment as she watched the blonde woman jump off the Buster, seemed James had also found folk. Good they would need the help but then Leann got worried. She knew Alicia, might not have gotten along with the woman but she knew her well enough to know if Caesar was in a group of walkers she would have either already been out of the Buster and going on her own war path or perched up on the side and taking shots. The woman was the best shot they had in town.

"Friends," Leann answered Lorna's question as she went back to pushing their captive forward. "But where's Alicia," she wondered out loud. She hadn't meant to say what she was thinking out loud but things weren't exactly calm. Was that why Caesar was fighting in a way she had never seen before? Did he know something she didn't? Caesar was a legend in his own right and sure as hell knew how to handle himself but this was different. Even though she didn't like his daughter she wouldn't wish him losing her for anything. No one should lose a child and Alicia was damn valuable to the group.

Once Zoie took a moment to observe she went to work, glad that Victor was in the cab of the truck right then. It was hard enough to keep him safe when they were out alone but this was them walking into a war zone of sorts. He had killed walkers sure but this was probably more than he should be confronted with. Running full tilt, Zoie came up behind on and with a swing of her arm planted her blade directly into the back of its skull; letting the momentum carry through as the Walker flung off the blade and the blood splattered down her arm. Spinning around her other blade went right through the gut of another only to have the blade that took out the first walker decapitate it. Her boot finished the job as the gnawing head was crushed beneath her heel as she took off towards the left side of the group to get ahead of them. It was obvious they were trying to move forward, time to clear a path.

"Afternoon ya'll," she said in passing with a smile on her blood splattered features. Leann just gave a curt nod. Long as the new comer came with James and was working like that to take out Walkers she had no problem with her.

"Destination is three blocks forward, Court House on the left," Leann called out to everyone in general. Zoie looked ahead and could see the building the woman barking orders was referring to, it really couldn't be missed. Large brick building with a clock tower on top of it. Looked like every other small town Court House, nearly identical to the one in Leesburg.

Another Walker got close and Zoies blade came down, intending for it to go into its skull but the wet ground caused the Walker to slip at the last moment and the blade ended up embedded into the walkers shoulder. "Gosh damn it," she grunted as it lunged at her, its mouth rotting and snapping trying to take a bite. "Ain't kissin' ya darlin'," she said in a huff as her foot came up and planted to the things hip. Kicking out it unlodged from her blade and tumbled back. Before it could get up she was on top of it and thrusting both blades right through it it's eye socked, blood splattering out as it finally stopped moving.

"Sweet jesus, I hate it when they're juicy," she quipped as she pulled her blades out and stood back up.

---

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Vivian Ormerod

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Location: Infirmary
Interacting With: Sid

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Vivian snapped off the suture and tossed the needle into the steel container next to her. Her back was still gaping and she had no idea how bad the internal damage was. All she did know was that the feel of blood coming out of her back was more than she would have liked. Grabbing the transfusion kit she tied her arm off and grabbed the hypodermic needle. Soon as a vein bulged she shoved it in and let out a rather pained hissed between her clenched teeth.

"Fucking hell that hurt," she snapped as she reached right over to Sid and without a second thought shoved her hand down his pants and pulled out one of the bags. Doc wasn't one to care if she made people feel uncomfortable under usual circumstances; she sure as hell wasn't going to bat an eyelash retrieving blood she needed to keep going from some kids pants. Hooking the bag up on the iv stand she then shoved the end of the tube attached to the needle in her arm into the bottom of it. If she didn't stop bleeding soon a transfusion wouldn't be worth a damn but she could only hope that Leann or someone with some first aide knowledge would get there soon enough.

"Alright, grab a hand full of gauze and apply pressure to the hole in my back," she ordered. Though her voice was still snappy, it was clear by her loss of color and the slurring of her speech that Doc had lost more blood than was being replaced right then.

[Nallore]

Maria Smith & Kristina Smith

Location: Newnan, Georgia
Interacting With: The Newbie Nenanians & The Vet Newnanians.

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Maria looked over her shoulder as well as Kristina as they both heard the rumbling of the Buster coming through one of the breaches that the invaders had made, she was actually glad to see the giant beast of a machine come barreling down the main street taking out walkers as it ran them over like they were bowling pins she noticed that the Buster had some new people in it, however Maria didn't notice Alicia on the Buster either. However she could exactly see who was there then another woman was on top of the bed of the Buster and jumped off holding two kukri machetes and ran over to take out a pair of walkers with ease.

And then behind it came the blue pickup truck that Meg and Caesar had taken for their supply run, Kristina looked towards the blue pickup seeing the long haired muscled scary looking Mexican going full 'Jack The Ripper' on some walkers opening a path for the truck to come through. Kristina took out her knife again moving close towards Zoie as another Walker was getting close to her, Kris jumped onto its back tackling it to the ground before stabbing it in the back of the head.

Kristina stood up as she dusted herself off blood from the walker covering her shirt, Maria followed up as she pulled back the bowstring again and fired an arrow straight at a walker that was getting close to the infirmary. It wasn't that much further as Maria started making a run towards the Infirmary once she was at the door Maria took aim at three more walkers that were getting close to the others easily dispatching them.

[Sigil]

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Ashton Holloway

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Location: Newnan
Interacting With: All present

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The din of melee combat rose from behind Ash's group, prompting the battle hardened engineer to raise his Detonix .45 to the rear. The five to their front were far enough off as to not be an immediate threat and could be handled in a moment or two. The sight behind them all was downright disturbing, though he wasn't certain what part about it worried him more: the herd of Living Dead that seemed to spring up noiselessly behind them, or the uncommon battle-rage that had overtaken the resident combat trainer, Caesar.

On the one hand, the scattered Dead had noticed their warm, living bodies and closed up the hole they had pushed through, effectively surrounding them. They had the option of fighting a hard fight forward, or wasting bullets to push back.

On the other hand, there was pain and anger the likes of which Ashton had never seen on the man, and he was using every piece of it to turn large dead things into several small dead things. The Captain's conscious mind wouldn't let him process what might be the cause of such a reaction, but deep down, honest dread grabbed his stomach with icy claws, pouring venom through him.

Pulling up behind the Latino Berzerker was the truck that he and Meghna drove out in this morning, carrying at least one other person. As the truck pulled closer, he could make out the details of Meg's face. She looked worried, and she kept looking to Caesar. Something happened.

That feeling of icy dread? Just got worse.

Then, pulling up from the rear came the sound of a familiar engine; an alcohol-burning diesel Freightliner. He knew this truck. He built this truck. Some of his blood was in the welding. He had lived in it, worked in it, weilded it as a weapon against a sea of death. The Hordebuster.

The halt Ash had called earlier stood, their situation actually much improved from ten minutes prior. He addressed Leann about just this. "We have been reinforced. All non-combat can pile in the back of the 'Buster; it's as secure a position as we've got. I want you in there, too. Newnan can stand losing me. It still needs you.

We can be at the Infirmary in two minutes. I'll check with 'Lici and James, see what their status is."

The awful feeling continued as Ash jogged past Caesar, the old man giving him a stare of uncertain meaning. Curiosity, morbid and intense, splashed across his brain. His pace quickened. Once he reached the Hordebuster, now just behind Meg's truck, he hopped up the mounting steps and grabbed hold of the window grate with three fingers of his machete hand.

"Ok, you two are in deep shit, but I'm glad you're here. I need you to swing this big bastard around the truck and run blocker for our unit. Destination's the Infirmary. You're taking on passengers, back in the dump body. You read me? Do you fucking read me, James?"

Ash peered into the cab, noticing a number of people that weren't Alicia. He saw her rifle. He saw her bag. He saw the blank and sorrowful expression on his friend's face, wanting to tell him something but unable to start.

His voice grew quieter as he asked a question; one for which he suspected he knew the answer. "James. Where is Alicia? Tell me, James. Alicia. Where?" The slightest twinge of fear colored his voice. Too many details were piling on top of each other. Somewhere far inside the depth of his reason and understanding, he knew. He wouldn't let himself believe outwardly until he heard it confirmed by another, but he knew.

---

Black James!

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Location: Newnan
Interacting With: Ash

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"She gone, man. he began, voice almost as quiet as Ash's. "Dead took her. Whole lot, nothin' we could do. I'm sorry Cap. I'm... I'm so sorry. She made sure these folk got out, though. She died a damn hero."

James was not about to question or abbreviate Ash's orders today. The dazed Captain stumbled from his truck and landed in a heap. James waited until his friend recovered his footing and handed Alicia's sniper rifle down to him. Ash nodded to James, his stone visage betrayed by two vertical streaks of moisture, parting the dust on his face.

"I know you, Ash. Don't hold it in. Not for too long, anyways. You find me after, we gonna talk, ok?"

The esteemed Mr. Grady handed off Alicia's last clip, then acquiesced to the order of his executive officer, pulling the Hordebuster around and forward to receive guests.

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Caesar Gonzalez

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Location: Newnan
Interacting With: No one, with any appreciable communicative skill

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Were it possible for his face to become any grimmer, it did the moment he recognized the rifle passed from that monstrosity of a dump truck down to Ash. It was silly name for a man, Ash. The word summarized how Caesar felt, though: Burned down to scrap and twisting in the wind.

An involuntary streak of anger shot through him. How dare that man take his girl's rifle? It was never his. M'hija would bootstomp any man that touched her weapon without permission. Taking it, accepting it - it was disrespectful. Caesar's fingers tightened around the hafts of his machetes as if he were bracing for a charge, before he even realized he was harboring this amount of aggression for the man.

Wrapped in his thoughts, Caesar barely noticed the man approach until he was right in front of him. That event, of itself, was strange. The grief stricken bladesman, were he inclined to speech, could tell you that there were five remaining Walkers in their general vicinity, plus the telltale shuffling of one in the building across the street. These threats, obvious and unobvious, were completely within his ability to perceive.

Perhaps that was why. Decades of experience and an almost preternatural intuition did not identify the man as a threat, overruling his emotional need to open someone from crotch to clavicle and play a rousing session of "Pin The Tail On The Central Nervous System".

This man with a stupid name; this man who was not good enough for his daughter in life, and not good enough to carry her rifle now that she was dead, now stood right in front of Caesar. He could see the emotion in Ash's face, but only in the details. Only in the small lines. The Soldier had taken over his psyche, that much was true. But that Soldier had to fight hard to supress the part of him that cared for Alicia. Caesar could tell, and he could recognize pain.

The first piece of surprise that penetrated the shell of the former Federale came when Ash held Alicia's sniper rifle out to him. A single tear escaped Ash's cold, emotionless exterior when Caesar reached out to accept it.

He still wasn't in full posession of his rational, conscious mind, but he knew that Ash was saying something. In reflection, the gist of the message that got across was, "We have a job to do. All of us. We will grieve later, but right now we have to fight, and we have to be smart about it. We need you, Jefe. Please help us."

The younger man with the stupid name that wasn't worth his daughter's time was right. And maybe a good man. Maybe. Caesar nodded his affirmation and followed him, shouldering his m'hija's weapon.

There was a lot of work left to do.

[Lady Absinthia]

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Well well well, how are you doing today? Not bad I bet? I mean, you had a wonderful spring shower; sure it may have rained Walkers but rain is good for the crops isn't it? And sure you may have lost someone but a lot of you didn't know her, so what does that matter? Oh boo hoo. We all got dead people.

~kicks the little fur ball~ Yeah yeah, I got this Rocket. Sorry about that, what happens when I let a guest help out. They like to get all uppity. Anywho, things have not been going well and things seem to only be getting worse. You see, the Walkers are all over the place. The ones denoted on the map above are the ones that are still active enough to cause problems. Some are ankle biters that are crawling to get a meal, others are just full out Walkers. LLA was not kind when it came to that generation. Seems she is a bit upset to having being skipped over a bit lately and me totally ignoring the last death she rolled. She's making up for it, in blood.

Sitting there biting your nails ain't ya? Wondering who lives and who dies. Where's my popcorn?

Mother fucker, shut the hell up. God he's annoying. Back to what I was saying, you know my rambles. A lame attempt to entertain and make this seem so much more than it really is. I could just type it out, a list. Who lives, who dies but hey, I like making you read. I guess the little bastard is rubbing off on me. Okay, okay, I'll get to it before one of you comes into chat and starts raising hell. This is what happens....

The Buster, you don't know why but suddenly the engine dies and it ain't coming back to life right now. Gonna have to jump ship.

The sisters make it to the infirmary and the oh so happy couple make it inside only to see Vivian there with Sid in the main room. Vivian doesn't have long, she's still bleeding out the wound in her back and internally - Fucking bullet went through the upper lobe of her lung.

Ash and Caesar better look out because with their talking and handing over a weapon they are in up shit creek with more Walkers closing in.

Meg, the people you picked up are inside and safe - MOVE YOUR ASS!

You in the Buster - MOVE YOUR ASS!

Zoie - MOVE YOUR ASS

Oh who am I kidding, everyone move your asses!

The following split post between Vivian, Leann, Zoie and Jamie will give you the rest of the details.

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WTH Just Happened?

@Aewin @Sigil @Nallore @Charnobylisk @Plasma

Leann quickly shoved the captive into the Infirmary and restrained him through an ironwork banster post for the stairs of the courthouse. He was secure enough for now. Turning she rushed into the main area of the Infirmary to check and see what was up with Vivian; only to get a faint hint of recognition from the doctor before her eyes drifted close and she toppled over onto the gurney. This was not good, the doctor was their only medically trained person in the place currently; some had first aid but nothing on the level she had. Checking her pulse she was not dead as of yet but her breathing was labored and her heartbeat faint.

"Sid, roll her onto her side and keep pressure on that opening, I'll be right back," Leann ordered before turning and running past the new couple in town and over to the sister as she heard activity upstairs. "You two, clear the upper level and secure it. We may need it as a retreat point if these Walkers in town breach the lower level."

With that Leann unslung her rifle and made her way back out the front door, motioning for Meg to get inside. Slowly cross stepping she began to clear walkers, Zoie quickly running up beside her to assist. Zoie sheathed her knives and unholstered her Beretta's from each thigh. The two women began to plow through the Walkers, taking one down after the other as they tried to clear a path for those still out in the middle of hell.

"Everyone inside! Doc is down, we need secondary medical back up on her now!" the leader of Newnan bellowed out about the rest of the noise the Walkers were causing and the sound of the Busters engine choking out. Leann continued to make her way towards Ash and Caesar as Zoie split off and headed towards the Buster and more importantly to her, Victor. Squeezing the trigger she downed a Walker just as it was reaching the suicide door before pumping another shell into place.

"Get the led out ya'll, ain't no time to be sratchin' asses," Zoie yelled as a Walker grabbed her from behind.

The entire mess was something out of a horror film and Jamie couldn't take being trapped in the Buster anymore, it seemed like a metal coffin perhaps. Either way he crawled into the front seat and out the very door Alicia had been perched in when the hoard took her. Sad thing too, should have exited stage left. Stage right had a walker half run over by the wheels of the buster pinned beneath it at the waist. Rotting fingers grabbed ahold of Jamies ankle, causing the man to toppled forward, landing face first into the rotting guts of another Walker that was headed right for him. Skin gave away and his face was buried within the bowels of the horror. Putrid, stinking, sickening, rotting bowels clung to his face as he yanked his head back. The Walker beneath the wheel pulling towards him, severing itself from the rest of its body and leaving a trail of wriggling intestines with each pulled shuffle it made until its broken toothed jaws sunk into Jamies calf.

The bite was kicked away as Jamie tried to stumble away but it was no use. This was a crazy moment and it was only made more insane by another Walker headed towards Jamie. It was in a straitjacket, it's belly swollen and only held into place by the thick fabric. Arms untied as it shuffled towards him. She was coming to take him away, to the funny farm, where the grass is green or not. Eitherway those long sleeved arms soon were around Jamie from behind, biting into his shoulder, ripping the flesh away. Three, well Two and a Half, Walkers to one nearly blinded by guts and twice bitten three times shy was more than any could survive. A dirty Sanchez would have been more preferable right then. His screams ripped out and death only came as he slowly bled out, mumbling something about a dick. Wonderful lasts words eh?

[Aewin]

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Time: Afternoon
Location: Newnan
Interacting with: Maria and Kris

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Meg jumped out of the pickup truck as soon as her two charges were safe inside the infirmary. She grabbed hold of her backpack and weapon before charging out of the truck only to stop beside the entrance beside Maria. "God this is a fucking mess." Before looking at the lady beside Maria - one that looked somewhat similar to her. "I would assure you that a walker infestation is not the way we greet our newest arrivals but-" She immediately stopped, noticing the small group of walkers over Maria's shoulders. "Fuck-- seems like these assholes just keep getting uglier each time I see them." Looking towards Maria, Meg pulled out her bow and aimed towards the direction of the stumbling walker - shooting only once she was sure the arrow would pierce the eye and brain.

"C'mon, we really need to get going." She looked towards the direction of Caesar and Ash, worry settling in her stomach.

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Time: Afternoon
Location: Newnan
Interacting with: Vivian and Leanne

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'Well shit. The one time a girl puts her hand in my trousers and its because she's bleeding out and ready to die.' Sid looked away, uncomfortably as Vivian hooked the bag to the IV. It was painfully obvious that Sid didn't know what to do, that he was pretty much standing around watching the group's med die without being able to aid her in any way.

Sid suddenly wished that it was him taking the shot.

Startling out of his thoughts to grab a hold of the gauze and follow Doc Handsy's instructions as quickly as he could. Time was ticking, and with the pale colouring on Vivian's skin, it wasn't looking good.

"Sid, roll her onto her side and keep pressure on that opening, I'll be right back," He didn't know whether the sound of Leanne barking orders to the hopeless guy was a blessing or a curse. Blessing because he had someone, curse because... well... it was Leanne, the leader of the Newnan group and another woman who probably wouldn't hesitate to kill him for letting the doc die in his 'care'.

Keeping the gauze pressed against Vivian's wound, Sid rolled the doc to her side. "There was a guy in the gardens-- he shot her but she managed to stab his legs to help us escape-- I don't know if he's dead but I hope to whatever fuck that he is--" Words escaped his mouth in panicked rush.

[Dixie Fiend]

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Dexter Sterling

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● Interacting With: The fray of people in Newnan.
● Location: Newnan.
● Time: Afternoon.

Dexter didn't sign up for this. It wasn't the most flattering opening line, given how selfish it was. People were dying with every minute that passed. Did they sign up for that? Did they deserve it? No. For the moment, Dexter overlooked those small details, he'd have time to be empathetic later – when there wasn't dozens of corpses converging on their location.

It was a bitter outcome though, much like the saying of "out of the fire and into the frying pan". Except, shit seemed to be going, "out of the fire, into the frying pan, and then into a blast furnace hurdling towards a dying star". The stress of it all was overwhelming, flooding his mind with anxiety that racked his body with chills and nervous fidgeting.

Dexter felt small again as the world seemed to unfold around their vehicle. His companions at his side didn't feel like companions anymore, but strangers. More and more strangers with strange faces from strange places. Zoie was the first to action as they rolled through the gates of hell, swinging off the truck and onto the ground to join the chaos. He caught a glimpse of a knife, or two, in her hands that looked straight out of Riddick's cooking set. God he loved the Riddick movies, it was the only unrealistic action movie he could ever stomach.

He lost her though as she disappeared out of the view of the cab's window where he sat, and he immediately turned looking onward as he heard an unfamiliar voice. " I need you to swing this big bastard around the truck and run blocker for our unit. Destination's the Infirmary. You're taking on passengers, back in the dump body. You read me? Do you fucking read me, James? " Dexter kept his eyes between Ash and James as they spoke briefly, not recognizing Alicia's name but eventually putting the image together that she was likely the one who was taken at the Ralls Road manor. Dexter kept his silence as per usual as shit went through the motions, reaching over his shoulder and adjusting his backpack so that he may eventually retrieve his drywall hammer. Without a loaded gun, the Fat-Max was the only decent weapon he had.

The talk drew to an end with Ash as James passed a rifle and its last respective magazine out the driver-side window. Dexter gave a discreet last glance towards Ash as he departed and Black James began to pull the Hordebuster around. He gauged that the guy had some authority here, the way he carried himself and the way he spoke with conviction. Seemed to be a straight-shooter.

Dexter didn't dwell on it though, his thoughts interrupted by a sharp whine from the front end of the truck. The engine rattled, followed by a few metallic pops and then silence. Dexter looked around, out one window and then out the other, turning in his seat uncomfortably. He then looked over James' shoulder, looking for some sort of plan. The hell happened? Were they stuck, or was it just a brief technical difficulty? He glanced sidelong again, seeing all kinds of people moving around outside. Was it safe?

He reached past Richard and put a hand on the handle of the cab door, stopping as he grabbed it for a second. Dexter was scared. He didn't want to go out there, he didn't want to be here. He was helpless.

Jaime must have been thinking the same thing.

Dexter was shouldered slightly as Jaime climbed past when his door wouldn't open, going to the passenger side of the Hordebuster. The kid was fast, or maybe Dexter was just slow and didn't react fast enough. He had the door open and was on his way out in mere moments, and Dexter couldn't help but admire Jaime. The kid was brave, perhaps planning to actually get out there and help someone unlike Dexter who simply sat on his thumbs like a scared child.

Good for him, Dexter thought. The thought however, was quickly taken back as Jaime stumbled out the open doorway onto the ground. He was out of Dexter's vision, but that didn't matter when the screams came.

" Oh fuck. " Dexter exclaimed, voice cracking as he clambered past Richard to the door, moving like an encumbered crab in the claustrophobic space of the truck cab. He shoved the door open and sprawled out onto the ground, stumbling just like Jaime had done when he got out the side. His palms came down on the rough asphalt, scuffing up his hands as he tumbled out. Dexter straightened up hastily, reaching around his side for his hammer.

He stepped towards the flank of the Hordebuster, hoping to get around to help Jaime when the screams started to muffle. Dexter stopped, his hand still fiddling with the strap holding his hammer to the outside of his backpack. He stood there frozen, looking around, back now to the truck. It was over, and Dexter was finding it difficult to muster up the desire to at least TRY and help. What was the point?

Quickly, he cut out the pessimistic thoughts. It was for his own good, at least now. Dexter backtracked towards the front end of the Buster, putting a hand to the driver's door. Dexter stood to one side of the door, out of the way. His expression was torn as he looked to James, trying to convey his emotions over all the shit going down. Could he just leave Jaime there, a mere couple meters way from where he stood, getting ripped apart as he awkwardly looked upon the man that saved his life at Ralls.

Fuck, this was hard. " Tell me what to do. Please. " Dexter said urgently, looking over his shoulder briefly towards a pair of unfamiliar folk nearby, then back to James. " Just don't make me go over there and put it through Jaime's skull. I can't do it. " Dexter felt like a coward. He felt out of touch with what was going on, he had no control and no sense of what was important, and how to react, what to do. He lowered the drywall hammer to his side as he took a step back from the truck, giving ample room for Victor and Richard to exit where he stood before.

" Tell me what to do, where to go, who to talk to, whatever it is and I'll do it. " The words felt like a nuisance. Dexter viewed himself as a liability, which was a thought he wasn't accustomed to very much. Zoie for example was out in an instant and downing approaching Walkers, clearing the area so that there was one less problem after another. And there were others, others he had not yet acquainted that were doing the same. And here he was, as useful as a blind, flightless duck out in the open during hunting season.