The 4 watch Riley as he tinkers around with a truck. "These idiots had horses and all kinds of other animals and probably would have tried keeping shit medieval if i didn't push them to do the smart thing." Riley grumbles turning the truck over. Unsurprisingly to Tank, Rat, and Jessica the vehicle roars to life. "I mean they were carrying the lumber here by hand if they kept that shit up id never be fucking done with them." Riley complains. "He got it started." Quin says surprised. "Dude we have told you about Riley the guy is a jack of all trades he can do it all." Tank says proudly. "Not true there is a lot I can't do, I just have enough skills to make up for it." Riley says watching the engine work to make sure it is satisfactory. "Your just being modest." Tank says waving his hand about. "I'm completely lost when it comes to a ton of Alex's chemicals and chemistry. I can hold my own with a bow but can't hold a candle to Rat or at this point I imagine Jessica. I also have no idea how solar panels or electricity of that nature works." Riley lists shrugging. "I just learn as I go. I found a few books and manuals on solar panels so hopefully I can add some to my trailer." Riley adds. After turning the truck off Riley looks around at the other vehicles around them. "The gas should still be good . We should siphon it and take it back to the prison. Maybe collect a bit for you guys to take back to the new Crystal Lake." Riley says as he studies the abandoned vehicles. "We aren't calling it Crystal Lake anymore, it's just the fort, and who said we were going back brother?" Rat says watching Riley. "I did, there are people who need you guys there. Someone has to keep things running correctly." Riley says seriously. "We need you more though man." Tank says. "There are many more groups out here and many are not doing well. I'm going to help as many as I can out, and try to build a new world, one that is made for this hellscape. We won't get back what was lost but really I don't see that being all bad." Riley grins and draws his hunting knife. "Dibs on faceless." The boy says cheerfully as he rushes a zombie. "But we miss you terribly, and Jason is changing everything man, we have a council and inner factions, and shit like that." Tank says angrily. "How many people are there in our clan now?" Riley asks. "Somewhere around 200 why?" Rat answers. Riley nods. "I don't like it but in all reality Jason is a manipulative conniving and petty asshole but he isn't stupid. As far as I can tell he has always taken care of the clan. He is a foundation that many of these groups don't have, and why they are failing. We had to have a no leader rule because when it was just the 6 of us we would have killed one another just to be in charge but it's different now there is respect to the original members and a voice to guide the many I don't like but he isn't wrong Tank. If I had to guess, you guys are in charge of groups of people right?" Riley asks while cleaning off his knife. "Well yeah but-" "But it doesn't matter if he wanted he could have plotted his way to total control and easily succeeded. I don't like him and I won't go back to be his puppet again. I do respect him. You guys need to be there for Jason because while he is brilliant he doesn't see how his plans backfire. I mean look at me I'm fucked in the head way beyond what I was before this shit kicked off, and don't know if i'll ever get right again but at the time it helped you guys out so it wasn't an entirely bad idea." Riley says quickly interrupting Tank. "Think of my time away not as abandoning you guys but more of taking medical time off for myself. I need to save these people so that I can take back some of my humanity. It's getting to easy for me to kill people now a days, and there really aren't a lot of the fucking assholes left." Riley says. The others look at each other sadly. "But enough of all that shit we got ourselves some tasks to complete and some steam to blow off so lets get our asses in gear." Riley says laughing.
By midnight Riley and his companions had collected more gas then they ever wanted to see again and packed the bed of the truck Riley had gotten running with canned food, water, and rice from a local supermarket. "Well that was fun." Riley says smiling wiping his knives off. "Seriously I can't believe this guy is real. How does someone just drop bodies like that and not even look tired?" Quin asks looking at Riley. "What makes you think I'm not tired?" Riley asks not looking away from his knives. "You aren't passed out, and you aren't talking about wanting to take a break." Quin answers. "I don't take breaks." Riley says putting the knives away. "Then why aren't you coming back with us?" Quin challenges. "Because if I do, I'll wind up killing some if not all of you." Riley says leaning back in his seat. "I am going to help these other people and see about getting trade going make a world where humans rely on each other and only fight the zombies but who knows maybe mankind is fucked after all we do love killing one another I'm no exception at this point either." Riley rubs his shoulder. "Well can you at least get in touch with us more often?" Tank asks. "I'll try brother." Riley says sighing deeply. "Stop the truck." Riley says suddenly. Tank slams his foot on the brake. "Why are we stopping?" Rat asks looking around the darkness outside. "There is a flatbed trailer over there it will make getting the fucking lumber easy." Riley says climbing out of the truck and walking over to the 15 foot trailer in a driveway.