Athens

Bill makes a noise that says he doesn’t totally disagree with Shayna’s assessment. It’s mixed with a sorry sort of ‘Them boys weren’t always like that…’ sort of groan.

As a matter of fact, Bill didn’t have the first idea. He’d got the Barkers out of one hell of a tight spot on the road, and the three had come into Athens together. It was Caleb, his size, that had gotten them through the gate most of all. He’d been able to make up for Athens needing to care for a young boy and an old man. If the folks in Athens thought they were blood, well… all the better!

But the months here had done something to Caleb Barker. Bill could see that, despite not knowing him all that well before hand.

"Oh, you don’t owe me nothing!" Bill says, putting his hands up to Richard as he’s snapped from his thoughts about life pre-Athens.

You didn’t owe Bill. But with Richard awake, you knew you’d have to come good for Athens in a big way. The Council, or maybe Harlow Kane would call in a favor. Bill, and everyone but Richard, knew it, even as the man denied the debt to him specifically.

Bill looks like he could say ‘I ain’t looking at much’. But he holds his tongue. This place had a way of bringing out big emotions in people. No one came here when they were looking for a laugh.

He steps out for a moment, and you hear him rummaging around. He comes back in a moment later, and places two tablets on the table beside Richard.

Aspirin…

He looks at Billie-Faye as he sets them down and then leaves the room. He knew she’d be drunk, or recently so. He knew she’d be belligerent, and probably having a massive headache. The old man, Bill, had a way of getting his barbs in without words.

Then again, they could be for Richard…

You hear footsteps approaching, and then Harlow is in the doorway. He spreads himself out in the space so that he’s blocking the doorway with his body. He leans against the frame, and goes on.

"That old thing? That old thing keeps us safe, son. Keeps us fed! You like being fed, don’t ya?

We have been keeping you all fed since you got here, haven’t we? Kept you safe?" he says, looking hard at Owen.

"And it’s our great pleasure to do so!" he says, becoming cheery and shooting a smile meant for the very meek or the very gullible.