Daryl's Angel: Saviour (Book Two)

Chapter 44: Alert

I stand by Eugene's bedside, monitoring his pulse with my fingertips, counting the seconds on the clock. He's lucky the bullet went through his side. It didn't hit any vital organs and I didn't have to attempt exploratory surgery to get the bullet out. He didn't even need a transfusion and, thankfully, his pulse has returned to normal.

I step back, finally letting myself take a deep breath. Rosita stuck around to assist and now she lingers by Eugene's bedside. Daryl stares out the window, Tabitha sitting by his feet with her chin on his knee. She looks just as concerned about him as I am.

Denise isn't with them. If she were alive, she'd be in here helping patch Eugene up. Rosita told me that they got attacked by Saviours and that Eugene managed to get them an opening to break up the stalemate and send them into retreat. I figure that Denise went down in the firefight.

I wish I had convinced her not to go on that run.

The door swings open as Abraham enters. "Rick's coming," he says. He looks at Eugene, then me. "How is he?"

"The bullet didn't hit anything vital. It could've been a lot worse, but he'll need rest," I explain. I let out a long breath. "Those antibiotics you brought back make his whole prognosis a lot brighter."

"That was all Denise," Rosita says softly.

Eugene coughs. Rosita and Abraham crowd closer to him, eager, and I back off, letting them have their little reunion.

"You here?" Rosita asks.

"Present," Eugene croaks.

"Good," Abraham says. Rosita steps back to let them talk, moving to the kitchen island and sitting down on one of the barstools.

"I was not trying to kill you," Eugene says. "I was looking for a moment."

"You found it," Abraham says.

"Do you apologize for questioning my skills?"

"I apologize for questioning your skills." Abraham pauses. "You know how to bite a dick, Eugene. I mean that with the utmost of respect. Welcome to stage two."

My eyebrows lift and I look at Daryl. His lips purse at me but he says nothing, lightly scratching Tabitha's head. I'm going to need a serious explanation when we get a moment.

"Don't need to welcome me. I've been here a while," Eugene retorts.

The door opens again and Rick enters. His eyes fall first on Eugene, travelling to Abraham and Rosita, then Daryl and I. He puts his hands on his hips as he gives all of us another once over. Tabitha stays where she is, although her tail thumps loudly against the floor.

"Rosita, Abraham," he says. "You mind going around, letting everyone know about Denise?"

They nod, taking their leave, and Eugene shifts a little in the tiny twin bed that acts as our hospital bed, wincing as he tries to get comfortable. Rick nods to him, then motions me over as he moves to the window with Daryl.

"Abraham said it was Saviours?" Rick asks, and he says it like he wants to believe he was mistaken.

"Yeah," Daryl says. "You know the people that got me in the burnt forest? It was him; Dwight. He shot Denise." I put my hand over my mouth. Rick looks away for a second, jaw clenching, and Daryl looks at me. "You were right," he says. "We didn't get all of 'em. There's...other bases or something. I should've known—"

"How could you have known?" Rick asks.

"My crossbow wasn't at the satellite station like the bike was. Dwight wasn't there neither. Should've guessed there'd be somewhere else he was hiding," he says. "They know about Alexandria, Rick. It ain't over."