ZRP-2 Chapter 6: Scattered

(Sam)
"Let's hope the same can be said for their companions...."

(James)
"Hopefully they aren't hostile to outsiders...."

"We can say Eve got you pregnant." She joked.

Eve sighed. "Once they find out me and Sarah were Shepherds...maybe not so much..."

(James)
"I think the only way they'll find out, is if someone spills the beans. And it sure won't be me."
=In the distance, I made out a bridge. Looked like the town was on the south side of the river=

"Crap....hope that bridge is still up."

(Sam)
"Yeah, no. Do you feel a bulge on me anywhere?"

"Daddy...wouldn't they trust us more if we were honest first off? We need them to trust us...not make them feel as if we are keeping secrets." Eve nuzzled James' back.

Hibiki sighed. "Listen, I'll tell them you are my stepdaughter and all I have."

(James)
"Yeah, but Eve....it's trivial now. It's the kind of fact about yourself that no one really needs to know about, because that's how trivial it is."
=I turned my head to smile at her=

"And they'd have to lock me up with you if they tried anything."

(Sam)
"Guess that could work. Maybe."

Eve hugged James tighter. "I just don't want my past to hurt you...it is trivial to you...but not to others."

Hibiki nodded. "Yep."

(James)
=As we neared the bridge, I slowed Nomad to a halt=
"Your past......won't hurt me anymore honey. That's a father's promise."

"I know...but others daddy..." she sighed. "Stop being stubborn. You know nothing can be kept secret forever."

(James)
=Chuckling, I spurred Nomad on again=
"Doesn't hurt to try Eve."

=Soon, we came upon the bridge. The entrance had a wall around it, with a gate at the center. Made of plywood, fences, and metal sheets, it looked hardy enough to weather the worst of walker herds. There were also four people atop it, aiming rifles in my direction. Not at me, just in my direction=

*Guard*
"Well howdy there cowboy. Mind telling us what you're dong here?"

(James)
"I was told by a friend to head for Owensboro, something about finding refuge and regrouping."

*Guard*
"Well you reached the right place, but if you're looking for a place to regroup with other people, you may have wasted your time. We're closed see?"

(James)
"Look can I please speak to whoever's in charge? Marcus told me to talk to them about being let in."

*Guard*
"Marcus? Average lookin guy, wears a bit of a scowl at times, does a fancy magic trick?"

(James)
"Wait he does a magic trick?"
=That was clearly the wrong thing t say, because they aimed the rifles at me then. Not in my direction, but at me=

Eve stiffened, then relaxed. "Daddy? I'm hungry..." she said loudly, in a somewhat whiny voice. Malnourished and dirty, she would pass for five years younger easy.

(James)
=Dear god, they actually stopped when they heard her voice. When they saw her as I turned Nomad around, one of them lowered their rifle=

*Guard*
"Jesus Jake, lets at least let her in. Or ask Clara on what to do. Maybe he really does know Marcus."
=Jake, the one who was talking first, mulled it over for a moment=

"Fine, call her. You two, stay there while we confirm with the boss."

(James)
"Sure thing!"
You trigger happy sons of bitches....

Eve played the scared, hungry girl. "Daddy? What's going on?"

(James)
"Hush baby, its going to be alright."
=I didn't realize I was playing along until I actually heard what I called her. 'Baby?' Really? The guards on the wall had a radio with them, which they used to contact.....whoever was in charge. It didn't take long before they looked back down at the pair of us=

*Jake*
"Okay, you can come in. But don't try anything funny, we have both ends locked down tight. Clara will be waiting for you along with her guards, and she'll check your story."
=With that, they opened the gate and let the two in as they rode atop the horse=

Eve had already tucked the berretta into a saddlebag, her holster empty.
"Where's mommy..."

(James)
=Once we were out of earshot, I whispered to her=
"Okay you can drop the act. Not bad by the way."

Eve groaned. "I'm seriously hungry though."

(James)
"Well maybe there'll be some food for us inside. Lets just get across this bridge first."
=It actually wasn't that big a bridge. Hell, they even cleared it of cars. As we got closer to the other side, I could see more people. They held guns=

"Put your desperate face on Eve, your audience awaits."

"What, I'm not always desperate faced?"

Eve just hid her face in James' back. "Once more unto the breach."

(James)
"Heh, you always seem more shy faced to me Eve."
=When we got to the end, the guards there aimed their rifles at us this time, and a woman was front and center. She wore jacket over a gray tank top, along with cargo pants and boots. Her hair, light brown, was tied into a tail behind her. She also bore an M16, aimed squarely at my head=

*Clara*
"So my boys tell me that Marcus sent you. That true?"

(James)
"Yeah, it's true. He told us to come here and talk to a Clara, said she ran this town."
=Despite the rifle aimed at me, I stared her in the eyes=

"Guessing you're Clara?"

*Clara*
=She grinned a little=
"Yes sir, Clara's my name and I do run this humble little town. How's Marcus doing?"

(James)
"Last I saw, he and the caravan were leaving town and heading here. We got separated though."

*Clara*
=She spotted Eve, looking hungry and pathetic=
"Sounds like a story. And why didn't you say you had a daughter with you, she looks famished. Come on, we'll get you a snack and you can tell me what's going on. Oh, and we'll still have a gun on you."

(James)
"Fair enough."
=Hopping off the horse, I helped Eve down=

"Just so long as it doesn't involve eating Nomad here. He's a good horse."

*Clara*
"Boys, find a place to hitch the horse while I show these two our hospitality?"
=As she led them away to the town, a pair of men grabbed the reigns and guided the horse to a patch of grass around a tree, tying him to a branch=

Eve held onto James tightly, not letting go.
"Why is everyone pointing guns at us daddy?"

(James)
"They're just being cautious Eve. Their house, their rules."
=As we were led to.....well, whatever our destination was, I looked around. The town was much larger than the first lockdown town Marcus ran. Greener too, lots of trees, grass, and homes. Lots of homes actually, and buildings=

"Nice town. You guys been keeping it clean?"

*Clara*
=She chuckled=
"Yeah, we assign some jobs, give people something to do. Otherwise we'd all go crazy."

Hibiki finally spotted the bridge. "I think we're here."
She slowed down, then stopped. "Walking the bike up Sam. Wanna be nice and easy."

Eve nodded. "Ok daddy..."

(James)
=It wasn't long before we saw more people. Way more than there was at Marcus' town. Lots of families, kids and teens moving about. When they spotted us under watch from the guns, they looked nervous, but they didn't let it stop them. Clara led us to a diner, and once inside she went behind the counter, looked for something, and then tossed a granola bar to Eve=

*Clara*
"So, while your daughter eats, you can talk. How do you know Marcus?"

(James)
"Well...."
=I sat down at the counter=

"Long story short, we're fighting together. Against the Shepherds."

*Clara*
=She snorted=
"Yeah, and I'm teaching walkers how to shoot. Get real, no one fights the Shepherds."

(James)
"Yeah well we do. We have, and we've won on more than one occasion. It's only recently that things got......bad."
=And for the next few minutes, I broke it down for her. Leaving the lockdown town, St. Louis, the Pariah, close to everything. I left out the bits about Eve and Sarah being former Shepherds, finding ways to work around their involvement. A first, Clara thought I was spinning a tall tale, but as she listened, she soon began to believe me=

"And now we're here, looking for a place to regroup."

*Clara*
"Well, that was certainly quite the tale there. Hard to believe, but something tells me you were being honest. So, I'll pass word along that if Marcus, or your wife comes around, they'll be let in. But the question now is, what more do you expect?"

(James)
"Hmm?"

*Clara*
"I mean, what more do you expect of us? I'd like to fight, don't get me wrong. But there are people here I have a responsibility towards."

Eve devoured the granola bar before James had even gotten halfway done.

Hibiki walked the bike up towards the west wide of the town. "Lets hope they ask before shooting, eh?"

(Sam)
"Yeah, last thing we need is to have an accident here."

(James)
"Look, I won't demand you help us or anything. But I'd be lying if I said we couldn't use your help. Our last encounter with the Shepherds was a kick in the teeth for us, and I'd be tickled to return the favor."

Hibiki nodded, and soon was at the front gate.
"We come in peace?" She called out.

Eve watched silently.

=Right as she spoke, four guards appeared on the wall. They aimed pistols and rifles at the pair=

*Guard*
"State your business here!"

*Clara*
"I won't decide anything yet, not until I hear from Marcus. But you and your daughter are welcome to stay here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to spread some news."
=Grabbing her walkie, she left the two of them in the diner while she relayed new orders=

=The guards holding up Hibiki and Sam heard their radio crackle, along with a description of two people to let in when their identities were confirmed=

*Guard*
"What are your names?"

(Sam)
"I'm Sam!"

"Hibiki." She frowned. Why would they ask for names?
"We mean no harm."

*Guard*
"Okay, you're clear. Come on in, and just head straight into town, take Main Street. Head for the diner."
=They opened the gates=

(Sam)
=I looked to Hibiki=
"Are we celebrities?"

Hibiki was silently crying.
"They made it."
Tears streaming, Hibiki fast-walked her bike into the town moving extremely fast.

(Sam)
=I ran behind her=
"Wait, what? You think they're here?"

(James)
=Sitting in the diner with Eve was becoming boring, but frankly I had no idea where to go=
"Would be nice if they served food here."

"Why else would we be cleared?"
She walked faster, then spotted the diner. Setting the bike outside, she ran in.
"EVE!"

The girl turned. "Mommy!"

Before James could respond or Sam enter, the two had met in the middle, Hibiki on her knees holding her daughter tightly. "I love you so much babe...Mommy wanted to hold you so much."
She looked over to James. "Thank you James. Thank you for bringing our daughter to safety."

(James)
=I really didn't have a way to respond. One second we were separated, with no idea where the other was.....the next, Hibiki appears like a soap opera cliche, hugging Eve tightly. All I cold so was sit there, stunned=
"Uh, sure thing?"

(Sam)
=It was touching, seeing mother and daughter reunited. Even if the way they got back kinda reminded me of a Disney film=

(Andrew)

=I look in the rear view mirror, a nagging feeling having bothered me for a few miles=

Why does it feel like we're being followed...and is it just me?

=I voice my concerns=

Hey Cooper...you have that feeling that we're being followed? Or is it just me?

Finally letting go, Hibiki moved to the side. "I kept her safe."
Letting Eve go to Sam, Hibiki went to James, slumping into the seat beside him and leaning against his side. "Hi honey, how was your trip?"

Eve carefully jogged up to Sam, then hugged her, burying her face in Sam's chest.
"I missed you."

(James)
"Decent......but I wouldn't say we're out of the woods yet. Just met with the town leader, and while we're free to stay.....she never said how long, or what the conditions were."

(Sam)
"I missed you too Eve."
=It was great being back with her=

*Cooper*
"It might just be you Andrew, I'm not seeing anything."

(Andrew)

=I nod=

Alright...thanks.

=I rub my head and keep driving=

Good greif...this sleep dep must be making me crazy. But I just can't help feeling that someone might be following us. I just hope to God I'm wrong

Eve looked up, and from the look in her eyes, she wanted a kiss.

Hibiki groaned. "Just hold me and lie to my face so I feel like we're utterly safe."

(James)
"What happened to being an honest husband?"
=It was sorta creepy, being alone in the diner. Maybe it wasn't lunch hour or something=

(Sam)
"I can't tell Eve, are you waiting for a kiss or did you see something funny n the sky?"

"Kiss." Eve said simply.

Hibiki sighed. "Was kidding."

(Sam)
"Heh, never thought I'd have to do everything in this relationship."
=Still, I bent down and brushed her lips with mine before dragging her into the diner=

"Okay, so what's the skinny here?"

(James)
=I nodded at Sam as she walked=
"The skinny is that we're waiting here until the head of this place comes back and tells us what her stance is. Basically, if they'll help or not in this fight."


=The caravan drew closer to Owensboro, enough so that the lead car managed to spot some of the buildings=

Eve clung to Sam. "Do we at least get decent beds?"

(James)
"I don't know Eve. There were a lot of houses here, but the same could be said for the number of people. Might not be a place to stay here."
=No sooner had the words left my mouth, then Clara, back from wherever she went, appeared in the door and cleared her throat=

*Clara*
"That's not entirely accurate."
=She walked over to Sam and Hibiki=

"Hello, my name is Clara."

"Hibiki. James' wife and resident gun nut."

*Clara*
"Really? A gun nut......that katana on your back says otherwise."
=She looked to James=

"My men on the wall tell me they spotted a group of vehicles heading our way. One of them is a freakin bus with guns mounted on it. Yours?"

(James)
"Yeah, that'll be Marcus and the group."

*Clara*
"Well then I'll pass word along to ask them who leads the group, but there shouldn't be a problem letting them in."

(Andrew)

=I take a look out the windshield and spot something, radioing Marcus=

Marcus...is that the town we're looking for?

=I take another look=

Cause it sure looks like it.

(James)
"Good. So, when you said 'Thats not entirely accurate,' what did you mean? You have rooms to spare?"

*Clara*
"Yeah, there are still plenty of houses around here that are empty. We have a lot of people, don't get me wrong, just not enough to fill every house."

"I want a warm bed again..." eve stated.

*Clara*
"There shold still be some furnishings, along with sheets, in the houses. No, our biggest issue will probably be food. We've got some crops growing, but with enter coming along there won't be much food to go around."

(James)
"That shouldn't be a problem. Before we got separated, our caravan managed to grab a lot of food. If we can ration it properly, there should be enough."

*Marcus*
"Wow Andrew, I was not aware I handed out pictures of what this place looked like."
=Still, he cold see from in the distance a familiar grouping of buildings=

"But we'll just chalk it up to your instincts. Yeah, that's the place."

Eve groaned happily. "Finally I can sleep in a warm bed again with Sam...no more car seats or small boat beds."