Lorenzo shrugged. "Eh. I don't think anyone minded but him."

He glanced back to the man in question, but it didn't seem the guy was concerned with him, admittedly, snooping around.

"Addie, right?" He waited for some sort of confirmation then introduced himself. "I'm Lorenzo."

He spoke with a slight Mexican accent. He wore an open, navy blue windbreaker, only one arm through the sleeve. The other was in a crappy makeshift sling. Knuckles were rough and scarred from being busted open so much, and it looked like he had full sleeves of tattoos from what little was visible of his arms.

"We're not the dudes Shaela sent for," he explained, sort of bluntly. "We just saw the sign outside. You are waiting for another group, right? 'Cause some kid just wandered in..."

With a slight smile touching his lips Dominic would cheerfully answer the question he always got asked upon first meeting a stranger, or at least the friendly kind "Oui, half...French father, American mother...Last time I spoke with my father they were getting the same weird rumours as we were back at the beginning so..." Dominic shrugged his shoulders in a helpless manner having long since become resigned to the fact that he was never going to see France, his father or his step siblings again "I just hope my step brother Pierre was home when this all went down and not in some army base…I’d hate to think he was trapped by himself in the Middle East somewhere" he finished before letting Emerson give him the lay of the land and the people who occupied it.

From what he could gather Orleans was a hell hole and to be a avoided, with existing factions already controlling both the North, South and West leaving them with the East road to Texas, which had been lovingly described as a "No-mans land" as the last thing Dom wanted to do was to get embroiled in territorial disputes with an already established faction.

It was as their host was pouring them all another drink, or at least those that hadn't wandered away, that Dominic was asked the probing question concerning their numbers "Enough Mon Ami...Don't worry we're not looking for trouble...we've had more than our fair share of that already, no, we’re just looking for somewhere to call home" Dominic replied with that same slight smile touching his lips, quietly wondering whether it had simply been an innocent question or something a little more sinister. However with a full belly and a drink in his system he decided to let it slide for the time being with him moving back to the topic of the outside world "So what makes the Texas road a no-mans land? Trouble? Or has no one simply tried to settle there?"

The pale, dark-haired girl smiled at Lorenzo.  "Nice to meet you Lorenzo.  Yes, my name is Adalaide, but most people call me Addie."

She looks nervously around the bar.  "I don't know that she talked to anyone yet, but she promised she would.  Maybe they're all just telling me what I want to hear, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  I can't just sit and wait forever.  It's Susie.  She's out there, and she's all alone.  And it's my fault.  I have to...  I have to find her."  Addie starts to choke up a bit as her eyes well up.  She stops speaking trying to compose herself.  The long sleeved black shirt with makeshift thumb holes near the bottom Addie wears quickly becomes an improvised handkerchief.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:26, Thu 06 July 2017.

In reply to Emerson Lake (msg # 159):

Young? Looking up at the mention of Washington and his group Hank thought back to the house and what Tom had said. What did Washington's group call themselves? When did you last see Washington? If Kaiden had taken over the Lost Boys from Washington, and there were enough kids who were only following him out of fear...He put his fork down as a thought took the place of food, the camp's electricity, even Shaela.

Emerson leaned back in his chair, finishing another swig of whiskey. "From here East as far as I've ever been is anybody's game really. I know the dead roam, and so do the living. But nobody's really made their presence known, not like here anyway. The road to Texas seems abandoned..."

Another quick whiskey.

"Washington's guy made a delivery..." He rolled his eyes up, thinking hard. "...about a week... or more before the storm. I think. I only ever met Washington and the other kid who made deliveries. I can't remember the name, sorry. Do you know Washington? I'm beginning to wonder how those kids did in the storm. They were living pretty close to New Orleans, so I'd imagine they probably took the brunt of it."

At this time Miss Shaela made her approach from out of nowhere and wound up standing beside the table. "That's my cue to leave. Its been a pleasure." and Emerson excused himself from the group with a slight (tipsy) bow and disappeared.

Shaela joined the Caravan at the table, taking Emerson's chair, bidding him adieu as he passed her. Karen took up the bottle and poured a glass for Shaela. She looked at the amber liquid "Oh I shouldn't. Well, I won't tell if you don't" and she knocked it back like a champ. "Now if y'all had tequila!" She trailed off with a smile, batting her eyelashes at Hank; the youngest, and by far the prettiest of the boys at the table.

"So the way things work 'round here are pretty simple." Straight to the point. "Y'all have something of value you can trade it in the store. If not, we can put you to work. We have accommodations available for travellers such as yourselves. That plus two meals (Dinner tonight and breakfast in the morning) and our standard stock up package (food, water & ammo for the road) means we could put you to work for about a day or two. We have some standard job tasks that people can sign up for on a job board over there. You know, accompanying supply runs, crowd control, night watch. Those sorts of things, But, I do have something specific in mind, if y'all are up for it?"

Someone from the front of the bar shouted for Shaela's attention and the band began to assemble once more on stage.

"Oh, that's me. Long story short: Addie there..." she turned in her chair and pointed out the girl speaking with Lorenzo at the moment. "...lost a friend of hers, sweet little thing named Suzie. We're puttin together a search party for her in the morning. If y'all could join, that'd more than cover your tab. Think it over, alright?"

Shaela stood, without really concluding the conversation and returned to the stage. She grabbed up her guitar and the band jumped right into an upbeat tune. "I'm gonna marry me, a sentimental cowboy..." Her hips swayed as the music played and Shaela's eyes once more found Hank.

Karen slid the nearly empty bottle into the middle of the table. "You guys talk about it. I'm going to find the bathroom." She stood up, a little  and steadied herself with a hand on Dominic's shoulder. he giggled, patted him once, and then walked off into the bar.


Karen wasn't sure how she'd gotten so turned around. She walked out of the bathroom and turned left, as the hand-painted sign had indicated, but after that... It seemed she was lost. The ground under her feet wouldn't stop tilting either. It made walking in any direction not seem quite right.

"Where are you going?" A familiar echoed. Emerson was leaned up against the wall, looking all cool and masculine, like a shining knight here to rescue the distressed maiden. Only in reality he was a stranger an she was drunk. Karen laughed. "I haven't had anything to drink in like, a really... really... long time." She too took a position against the wall. The cold steel felt good on her back. It settled her a little.

"Come on." Emerson said invitingly. Karen followed him. The two made their way around a couple corners of the container maze, Emerson supporting the tipsy Karen as the two walked together. To be clear, they were both drunk.

Emerson brought Karen to his apartment. Or rather his compartment. It was a part of the outer wall. A modified contained with a decorated interior. There was enough room for a small table along the one wall, a couch along the other, and a bed in the far back. Emerson had a clutter of boxes stacked where he could find room for them and the place was lit by the soft glow of a lantern hung from the ceiling.

They made themselves comfy on the couch, chatting goofily and awkwardly for a while, swapping war stories and pretending that Iraq was fun for both of them. Emerson brought out a bottle of wine and a couple coffee cups to drink out of. It was dry tasting, not nearly sweet enough for Karan's tastes, but she drank it, and she pretended to like it too.

She casually brought up Washington's group, having the same inkling as Hank that they were dealing with the Lost Boys. She tried to press him for information, but he simply had none to give.

As the bottle of wine dwindled and the evening wore on things took a turn. Emerson leaned in and kissed Karen. She resisted at first, but then didn't. She was having fun, so why not. They made out for a minute and then stopped. Emerson alluded to how the wine was good and all but that the thing that got him through coming home from Iraq, and that which made the end of the world seem not so bad was a little bit stronger.

Karen, a drug addict who'd been popping pain pills for the last two days was intrigued. Emerson dug in the box adjacent to the couch and produced a little bag of Heroine and the whole nine yards.


Karen awoke suddenly and with a pounding headache. She sat up in the bed. Early morning sunshine crept through a crack in the container's door casting a long, slender line of pale light. The narrow beam crawled across the floor, bumping up and over Karen's scattered clothes. The beam of light climbed the side of the bed and stretched out over the rumpled blankets and her naked body and landed in the crook of her arm where last night she had shot heroine for the very first time.

Seeing Shaela get back on stage Addie knew she needed to get back to the band.  "I'm sorry, I need to get back on stage.  I know a sweet boy like you will do the right thing.  Suzie's so young, she needs us."  Addie gives one last look of desperation before returning to the band.  Shaela is a few bars into the song before Addie picks up her guitar.  She gives the singer an apologetic look and mouths a silent 'sorry'.

Must not have told them about the change in leadership. Hank thought grimly, figuring they were likely the Lost Boys based on Emerson's description of the groups in the area. He took a sip of water to hide the slight frown that followed the lack of confirmation he had hoped for.

He paused Shaela materialized and sent Emerson off, putting the glass down as she downed the drink with a slightly raised eyebrow. Even before having to worry about people coming back from the dead he hadn't been much of a drinker. A hard cider here and there, maybe more if Tom had been at a friend's house and he wanted to forget. Now...he'd rather wake up in sweat then risk being attacked while seeing double. But he guessed this place was as safe a place to get wasted as any, given Karen's deteriorating state. Returning her smile with his own slightly awkward he looked briefly toward the job board she mentioned, feeling like he was 15 again and was caught staring in the lunch room.

Watching Shaela walk back to the stage Hank got up and moved to a better spot at the table to view the stage now that Lorenzo and Karen had moved. Um, we should probably grab the others. He tried keep his eyes from wandering as she swayed, settling on keeping them locked on his glass with only the occasional glance up. Even with the extra people we should be able to do enough for a couple nights stay at least. He kept his tone low, At the very least they'd be safer here as we looked for someplace else. We can be back before night, get some actual sleep, and help with the search in the morning. Or so he hoped, he had no idea what route they took and Dom had the keys.

Offering Hank and incredulous look, Dominic burst out laughing at the younger man's suggestion that they drive back and pick up the others tonight and return in time to join the hunt for the missing girl in the morning "No chance mon ami!" Dominic said, draining his second glass of whiskey before snagging the bottle from the centre of the table to pour himself a third "Un, I don't fancy driving down those narrow roads in the dark after drinking this stuff, Deux Karen's disappeared...not that that's bad thing et trois, I somehow doubt these guys are going to let us walk out of here without paying up first" Dominic explained, holding up a finger for each of his, what he felt to be valid points, with not only his voice beginning to slur but his accent growing stronger by the minute.

Leaning back in his chair Dominic would watch the band for a short while, in the vain hope that they'd play something he recognised before speaking again to Hank "Non Mon Ami, we're here for the night...though you're right, leaving the others here whilst we check out the East road would be a good idea...it'd also give me chance to murder that putain de bâtard Atlanta without worrying about Izzy...Mon dieu, elle est belle" Dom drunkenly slurred wishing that Isabelle was here with him. It'd be so nice for the two of them to have a night out together and just be a normal couple without having to worry about the others or being attacked by the dead and the living alike, maybe we could spend an evening here before heading out again...

Realising that he was drifting off into his own little world, Dominic would take another sip of his drink before returning to the point he'd originally been trying to make "Try and enjoy yourself Hank, you don’t have Tom here to worry about, there's a bottle...well...part of a bottle of whiskey left and judging by the looks she keeps giving you I think you may have pulled" Dom said with a smile, then again that could just be the whiskey talking.

Shaela Murphy and the Shaela Murphy Band sang a few more Country love songs before winding down for the evening. "Thank you kind, kind folks that's all we got for t'night!" The dinner crowd dispersed and the hardcore, rougher looking folks stayed to drink. The sun was well on its way down, setting perfectly, beautifully behind the Sunset Stage, peering into the bar with its warm, soft glow before slowly kissing the horizon. Cool Darkness descended upon the Saloon as the home-brew liquor began to flow a plenty.

Shaela made her way back to the Caravan's table with a bottle in hand after thenking and hugging each of the band members individually for another amazin' show. She invited Addie to join, since she was the subject of conversation...

The bottle clunked onto the table along with a handful of shot glasses. The clear glass bottle with a pale brown liquid in it was labeled with a # and scrawled handwritten underneath that were the words "Tic Tack Tequila"

Shaela took the chair next to Hank, scooting her seat just a little closer to his and pouring the first round of drinks and sliding them across the table. "Soooo, Y'all give any thought to what I said?" Shaela crossed her arms and her legs too. Her right leg went up over her left, and her fancy cowboy boot dangled playfully next to Hank, gently swaying back and forth to some unheard rhythm and finding its way closer and closer to Hank's foot. She shot his a quick and shy smile every time her eyes wound up his way before quickly darting her gaze away.

Addie packed up her guitar after the set, although it wasn't really her guitar.  More of a loaner to whoever was capable of playing backup for Shaela.  Addie happened to be the lucky one who had just enough prior practice to keep up most of the time with a few chords in the background.

After Shaela sat down at the table of newcomers Addie took her drink over.  The glass was barely filled.  Unless squinting it was hard to tell if there was even any liquid in it.  She held it in both hands like an infant holding a sippy cup most of the time, silently listening to Shaela speak to the others.

Hank frowned at his glass as Dom rattled, well, slurred off why they wouldn't be leaving tonight. A quick glance outside and he was surprised at how much time had passed. Even if Dom wasn't sauced they'd need to use the headlights, which would probably draw more attention then driving during the day. Hopefully Tom wouldn't be too mad at him. The only good thing was Joe and NM had stayed back with him and would be able to keep him from wandering off. Pulling his plate over to him he continued picking at his food.

He couldn't help but snort at the mention of murdering Atlanta, murmuring between bites Somehow I think Karen will be the bigger issue. He just hoped he'd be able to get to Wyoming before anything major went down, try and get the kid out of there. If Dom or any of the others had an issue with it, well they'd just have to deal.

Another snort met the idea he didn't have to worry about Tom just because he wasn't here. That fact just made him worry more. At least if he was here the teen could try and find some others his age that they didn't have to worry about Dom going slash happy. Glancing toward the stage he shook his head at his drink. It's just because we're new. She can have her pick of any guy here, someone who depending on their supply lines can probably get more then the opportunistic sponge bath. Taking another sip he briefly wondered how much work each glass of water was. The booze the others could settle.

Despite his earlier words he couldn't help but revert back to the awkward teen as Shaela rejoined them, her overt flirting not helping. Well, I think we're here for the night. As for tomorrow, that's up to the people who actually know where we are. He stifled a yawn, the brief ride to the outpost not nearly enough I don't have any problem helping with the search if we can get the rest of our people here before heading out.

"Hmm maybe, all I know is she keeps smiling at you so there’s obviously something about you she likes...Besides women can be weird, I mean I never dreamt Izzy would want anything to do with me...especially after I cut her foot off with this bloody thing" Dominic replied, tapping the sword at his waist with his free hand with a guilty look passing across his face at the memory of that day in the woods "...and yet we're together... just talk to her Mon Ami, I mean what’s the worst that can happen?" Dominic finished with a shrug, moments before the girl in question came and joined them with a bottle of her own. Quietly wondering whether the trading post was actually going out of their way to get them all completely wasted Dominic would listen as Shaela asked them about her earlier offer with Hank replying that he'd be happy to help so long as they could bring the rest of the group here first, prompting Dominic to step in "What Hank here is trying to say, is that we're currently looking for somewhere to settle down for a while and if you're willing to take on a large group, we'd like to leave our people here where it's safe whilst we go about finding a suitable place of our own...they'd pitch in of course, and we'd be more than happy to help look for your missing girl come morning" Dominic said, figuring that they had little option but to agree to help if they wanted to get out of here anytime soon. As nice as this place was it would be all too easy to become trapped here by an ever growing debt “So how old is this girl? And how long has she been missing?”

Addie slides over to the table with the others before jumping into the conversation.  She tries to hide a hopeful smile but fails.  "Susie turned nine last month.  She was my neighbor's daughter before everything changed.  It's my fault, I should have been able to keep her safe.  We got caught in the storm.  The wind picked up and something hit me in the back of the head.  I think it was a branch."  Addie slides her hand up under her long black hair at the back of her head, checking to see if the bump was still there.

"When I came to Susie was gone.  No sign of her body, so I think she ran to find cover.  We were headed out to an old farm.  I was hoping to find some berries out in the woods near the fields.  I can show you the way, it shouldn't take more than a few hours to walk there.  Thank you so much.  You have no idea how grateful I am for the help.  Susie doesn't have anyone left, just me, and we were only neighbors.  She must be so scared."  Addie's eyes start to water but she fight back the tears.

The look of hope on Addie's face was heart breaking as she told them her story of how she'd become separated from the young girl during the storm with the cynical part of Dom's mind maliciously whispering that they'd be searching for a body come morning...or a nine year old Zed.

With the dark haired girl on the verge of tears as she continued to blame herself for the situation Dom reached out and gently placed a hand atop of hers and using his best "everything's going to be alright voice" tried to calm her down "Hey, it's not your fault, that storm was a nightmare...she's probably just holed up in an outbuilding or something, don't worry we'll find her" one way or another Dominic silently added as he offered her a reassuring smile that was only slightly spoiled by the amount of alcohol he'd drunk. For as much as he wanted to believe that everything would turn out for the best recent events meant that he was holding out much hope for the missing nine year old.

With the evening winding to a close and the morning's plan discussed, Shaela showed the visitors to their accommodations. It was a simple, bare-bones, crowded container. It was dark, only the light through the crack in the door slipped in. Bunk beds lined the walls all the way front to back, floor to ceiling. It was packed tight. Though, only about two thirds of the beds were filled.

Shaela lingered at the door with Hank.

"Would they notice if you didn't come in?" Her body swayed back and forth playfully yet awkwardly. She looked up at him. "I mean, do you wanna come back to my place?"

Hank followed Shaela and the others to their assigned container. Minus Karen, who seemed to have gotten lost on her route to the bathroom. Leaning against the container he looked up and hid the smirk that threatened at her offer in a yawn. To be honest I should probably get to sleep. Trees don't make the best beds. Looking back to her he smiled, Though I do have some things I'd like to pick your brain about. He assumed since she was the camp's "ambassador" she would know about the various groups that traded here. If anyone knew if Washington was the leader of the Lost Boys it'd be her. Any extra time he got to spend with Shaela before exhaustion took him would be a bonus.

In reply to Hank Lucion (msg # 178):

Shaela reached out and ran her fingers gently and flirtatiously down Hank's arm. "Sure you can pick my brain" Shaela stepped in closer. "You can pick whatever you like."

Maybe she was a little drunk. Maybe she was really bad at reading signals, but Shaela was not getting that Hank was not interested.

After a few more drinks and a bit of small talk with the two girls, Dom would follow Shaella a touch unsteadily to one of the shipping containers within the trading post where upon opening the door he would find that every piece of available space inside had been filled with bunk beds. No doubt for the purpose of housing any passers-by for the night.

Staggering inside Dom would find an available bed before stripping out of his jacket and boots and climbing onto the threadbare mattress; slipping his gun under his pillow before then settling down for the night. It was as he was making himself comfortable, a task not helped by the hard angular shape of a gun beneath his head, but hey that was the joy of paranoia, Dom would notice Hank lingering by the open container door with the lovely Shaella still smiling at him as she gently swayed back and forth. If Dom was a betting man he'd wager that Hank wouldn't sleeping in here tonight...or at least not if he had any sense he wouldn't.

Hank sputtered as Shaela's flirting went from not so subtle to proverbial bull in a china shop. Um...ya... With her earlier actions this shouldn't have come as a surprise, hell he had dreams like this. Running a hand through his hair he was acutely aware of how greasy and mangled it was. Let's just...ah...see how far we get, ok? Wiping it on his jeans he pushed off from the container with another yawn and let the tipsy woman lead the way. So, Emerson was telling us about someone named Washington?

Dawn, the Following Morning

A small group is gathered at the front gates of the storage fortress. The members of the Caravan along with Addie and guide Katherine Reed are preparing to embark on a search party to find the small girl lost in the storm.

It was a late night last night, and everyone is feeling the side effects, Karen most visibly. Karen stood with the others, but she wasn't really there. She wore a pair of dark aviator sunglasses, her hair was a tangled mess and she wouldn't uncross her arms.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:46, Mon 21 Aug 2017.

Hank had found his way back to the guest container after Shaela had fallen asleep. If he had been drunk things might have turned out differently, and while zombies were certainly high on the list of things to drink about he could imagine better uses for the booze. As it was he found a cot and promptly passed out from exhaustion after the novel experience of a bathroom break without having to worry about being jumped by a crawler. She had all but confirmed the Lost Boys had gone through a leadership change which combined with Wyoming's info had given him some ideas.

Stretching while they waited to head out he felt back to the his new post zombie normal. Physically at least, he couldn't help but notice Shaela's 180 when they had run across each other earlier that morning. Maybe after they picked up the others and found the lost girl he could see if there was any chance of finishing what she had wanted to start. For now he was focused on the mission at hand, fidgeting with his crowbar.

Addie helps Katherine prepare for the trip.  As each of the members of the group shows up Addie stops what she's doing to thank them again for helping to search for Susie.  It's hard to tell from the dark makeup she wears, and somehow hasn't run out of yet, but it looks like sleep hasn't been a priority judging from the dark circles under her eyes.  Unlike many of the others, Addie did not carry a firearm.  At least nowhere in plain view if she did.

With a set of Aviators to match Karen's, a rather pale Dominic stood in the early morning sunlight feeling like death warmed up, ah hangovers...yes I'd forgotten all about them he grimaced, glad to see that he wasn't the only one suffering this morning as a result of last nights drinking session, though unlike the others Dominic had ready access to paracetamol and so was confident that his head wouldn't be bothering him for too much longer at least; one of the few perks of being the groups doctor.

Moving to stand in front of the young Goth chick, Dominic would make a half-hearted attempt to smile before speaking to her with a voice roughened by too much alcohol with the Frenchman quietly wishing that he still smoked "D'accord...I think we're all here, Addie why don't you take us to the spot where you last saw Susie and we can take it from there" Dom suggested, figuring that that would be a good place to start their search from. He still wasn't overly confident that they would find the girl but a promise was a promise and so he would do his best to help the girl, if only so she could get some closure and a bit of sleep at night. Which judging by the bags under her eyes she hadn’t been getting much of as of late “you know it’s not your fault right? We lost a lot of people in that storm so trust me when I say you’re not to blame for what happened, you’re lucky you didn’t die out there yourself” Dominic said in a low voice, knowing from personal experience what it was like to blame yourself for something out of your control.