LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

the unexpected

"No! Jules!" Luke screams as a Whisperer slits Jules' throat from behind.

"Look out!" Siddiq screams, grabbing Yumiko just before another stabs her.

Carl and Nanami could just barely catch onto what was happening. But, Carl spots a breach where more Whisperer's begin to infiltrate the quarry. He takes off the backpack and sets it on the ground. There weren't many more sticks left. They had to get out.

Ezekiel shouts about being surrounded. 

"Carl!" Nanami yells through the ice, "Let's go!"

Gunshots begin to ring through the air. It'd been awhile since guns were brought in. Everyone agreed to go the silent way since the materials were more natural and quiet. But, they still had guns just to be safe.

Sakiko stabs a Whisperer and shoves him down the cliff. As she stands tall again, she catches sight of Alpha and Beta. Beta was so tall and huge that he stood out in the crowd. He was leading a crowd of Whisperers into the open cliff's edge. His eyes were set on Carl.

Sakiko grabs the rope that Jerry was holing but dropped to the ground. She wraps it around and around a tree and knots it. She slides down the rope with ease. Her gloves were strong enough to not let it burn her skin. Something about it reminded her of when she and Maggie were surviving the herd in Alexandria.

Back then, Ryan caught her when she fell into the room.

Now, the rope ends and she falls to the rugged ground- air escaping her lungs on impact.

Sakiko could almost hear Ryan, though. She could feel him as usual. He was her soulmate and forever a piece of her. Then, she pictures Kitsune's face. She thinks about Daryl. Nanami. Rosita. She stands. Maggie and Glenn. She rushes toward Alpha and Beta.

Nanami was searching for Carl in the chaos. The whisperers had begun cracking the ice around the walkers when they passed by. The walkers were half frozen, still coming after them. Some of the mouths were still shut. But, Nanami figures that a rigid, iced over finger would pierce skin easier than normal and scratches were still just as lethal as a bite.

Another scream echoes as Luke is stabbed by a Whisperer.

Nanami grabs the back of Carl's shirt and pulls him backwards just before he's grabbed by a walker.

"We gotta go," Nanami hurries.

"Isn't that Sakiko?" Carl asks, pointing.

Nanami looks beyond the scene and sees Sakiko jumping over dynamite. Rosita was right behind her.

"Goddammit," Nanami hisses.

Jerry knocks his shoulder into a Whisperer brutally and sends them free falling off the cliff.

"We gotta go," Carl mirrors Nanami's own words.

Nanami's feet move, but he doesn't go anywhere. He was fighting internally with himself.

Get out and head back to help the group above.. Help Sakiko.

"Rosita is with her, she'll be fine!" Carl pushes.

If there's anyone other than Daryl that Nanami trusted with Sakiko, it was Rosita. They were best friends. They've done everything for each other.

Even though Rosita stayed in Alexandria, they were still meeting up in secret. Rosita was a large part of Kitsune's life and Kitsune loved her Tia Sita.

"If they're over there, the only other person that can work the bombs is you. We've gotta finish this," Carl urges.

Nanami knew Carl wasn't lying. But, a large part of him still felt like he was trying to leave Sakiko behind. Carl wanted Sakiko gone.

Leaders were the ones able to make the tough calls, Nanami reminds himself.

"Come on," Nanami agrees.

The men loop their arms together and take off through the walkers. They dodge those that were reaching and jump over sticks of dynamite until they make it to the rope. There was only one rope down- the one Sakiko had tied. The other had fallen to the ground amidst the fight.

Carl shoves Nanami to the rope and Nanami begins to climb. Carl follows once he's a bit higher.

The cliff's rocks were slippery from the ice and hard to climb up. Despite the hurdle, they continue pushing forward.

Carl screams below Nanami. Nanami's grip falters and he looks down to Carl.

Alpha had made her way over. She stabbed Carl in the ankle.

She was still climbing up after them. She grabs Carl's pant leg and jerks. Carl falls down the cliff he'd just climbed.

Across the quarry, Rosita and Sakiko were in front of Beta.

"That's a big bitch," Rosita mutters.

"I fuckin' told you!" Sakiko scoffs.

Beta takes out a knife that was the size of Sakiko's arm.

"On your go, Cariño."

Sakiko shakes her head and takes a spare knife out, one for each hand, "I'm following you, Mami."

Rosita smiles at Sakiko and Sakiko returns it. Then, they charge to the huge man in unision.