Intermission: Gone but not forgotten

The gates of the settlement opened wide to welcome in Gregory and Astrea, who had just returned from their mission to look for Leo and his team.
"Big-sis Astrea, what's that?" The kids welcomed her like usual but this time she wasn't in her usual mood.
It was afternoon and the only thing they found related to Leon was the wooden cart they had taken with water filled barrels on top, and the automatic rifles of his squad. The least they could do was to bring the cart back to make sure they have enough water to go by in the settlement.
"It's water, Jes." Her voice was even lower than usual.
Gregory pulled the cart inside the settlement and the gates were closed once more, giving the people inside an illusion of safety from the horrors that lay outside of these wooden walls.

***

It was almost time for dinner, and the duo was talking with Joshua in the main building.
"That's tough... wad'ya reckon we do now...?"
Everyone was filled with despair, they didn't know what to do know. Leon always made it back safely, this was a first for them. If Leon had come across a danger not even he could deal with then how would the others manage? The settlement has lost its most capable men.
"I'll go search tomorrow again."
"Where to though? We looked everywhere." As much as Gregory wanted to help he couldn't pretend like he wasn't listening to the voice of reason inside his head.
He is probably dead...
"I think the junkies might have set up camp somewhere nearby the oasis that we go to."
She remembered the crazed people that attacked them there, and made a logical conclusion from there.
"They might have them captured."

On the outside, Leon just seemed like a normal ex-militant. Tough and capable. This visage gave the people of the settlement and his team a hope that for some reason, he couldn't die.