Colby saw Jack when he and the other men were going on patrol the next day.
"Jack, what's going on around here?"

Jack started to speak but dropped his voice to a whisper.
"Listen, kid; I can't tell you much; there's eyes and ears everywhere. Come to the barn where we keep the building supplies tonight at 8 pm and we'll talk." Jack said.
Colby nodded, watching Jack run away as fast as his legs could carry him.
********

Ashley sat at a sewing machine, sewing squares of fabric together to make a quilt. Martha walked up to her, carrying a box of items.

"Thought you could use a care package," Martha said, smiling sweetly.
"Thank you! I can't wait to go through it!"
"Oh, it's nothing much; just some clothes, baby supplies, and food and medicine," Martha said.
"We have room at the daycare center. would you like to leave Jenny there while you work?" Martha offered.
Ashley shook her head.
"Thank you, but no. I'd rather have her with me."
"You sure? It would be so much easier, and you'd get a lot more work done."

Ashley thought over Martha's words, then looked at Jenny's sleeping face, and smiled.
"No, I'm fine," Ashley answered honestly. Martha stepped back,  looking puzzled.
"All right then; just make sure you take care of yourself, all right?"
"I will! Thank you again!"
The woman left the factory, leaving Ashley alone once more.
**********
Colby slipped out of the inn quietly. At 8 pm, he found himself sitting with a group of people in the barn. Jack was at the end with a guy about Colby's age. A few women looked around fearfully.
"Alright, everyone. For those who don't know, we have some newcomers; Colby, Ashley, and a baby girl. Colby and Ashley are adults, and they don't know what's happened here in Angel's Landing in the last few years.
We're keeping it quiet because we don't want anyone to panic and leave. They should understand why we're acting so strangely soon enough, though," Jack explained.

There were nods of agreement. Jack spoke again.

"If we're to restore order and get back to how things used to be; we have to stay diligent in our duties to maintain our colony." Jack continued.
A few people grumbled at that.
"I know you want to believe that. I mean, we need this community; we need to rebuild everything we've lost; we need these places back, and we need to build on it. But having an extremist leading this town is a disaster waiting to happen."

Colby felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"What are you talking about?" Colby asked, his eyes widening.

"Kid, stuff has been going on before you and your girlfriend ended up here." Jack gestured to the younger man.

"This is Owen; his dad was the previous leader. He'll tell you what happened."