We're The Ones Who Live | The Walking Dead (2)

Part 43 - You Could Have Run

The streets were almost entirely empty as CJ quickly snuck her way around, her back to the walls, so nobody could sneak up behind her. In one hand, she held a knife, her free hand hovering over the gun she got from the guy in her apartment, the weapon tucked into her waistband.

It was the middle of the day, the sky a little cloudy, making the streets seem a little darker than they should have been. Everything just seemed so grey and decrepit. Well-fitting to the current circumstances of CJ's life.

She had tried going to Rosita's place, but it was empty too. No Rosita, or Daryl, and it seemed like there was no one else around either. CJ remembered the guy in the apartment saying that she'd see the kids again if she cooperated; that meant they were alive. But where they had been taken was a mystery.

She had no clue what was happing, but she had a pretty good idea. The deal made with Pamela to let the group from Alexandria leave was tarnished the second Sebastian died. And now, not only were they not being let go, but they were being taken away. For what, CJ had no idea. She was afraid, but anger was definitely the emotion standing at the top spot of her mind right now.

CJ was a little hunched over as she jogged down the sidewalk when she heard footsteps. She immediately ducked behind some plants by a door and peeked through the thick leaves as three troopers walked by, marching in formation down the road with rifles in their arms.

The door behind her flung open, and two arms suddenly wrapped around her torso, dragging her into the garage. She gasped and tried to fight back when a hand covered her mouth, preventing her from yelling out.

"Hey, hey," the familiar voice of Daryl mumbled in her ear. He let go of her, and she spun around to look at him. "It's just me."

"Oh, Jesus," CJ breathed out, her hand over her racing heart. She pulled Daryl into a hug, whispering to him, "You scared the shit outta me."

"Sorry," Daryl said, arms wrapping around her and sighing in relief that he'd found her. "I've been looking all over for ya. I went to the apartment, saw the dead guy, and you weren't there, I... I thought that-"

"I got there, and the kids were gone," CJ explained as she pulled back from the hug. "They're alive. That's all I know. The guy said something about cooperating if I wanted to see them again."

Daryl reached out and gently cupped CJ's face, scanning over the numerous cuts and bruises littering her skin. "He hurt you," he stated as a fact.

"Not as much as I hurt him. I'm okay," CJ assured. "We gotta get out of this city, but every damn trooper is after us, plus others."

"We still got that window with the shift change," Daryl replied as the two of them walked through the large garage to the open bay doors. "If we can get to the-"

He was cut off when two men came running into the garage like they knew the Dixons were there the whole time. One was bald, the other had long hair tied on a bun. Daryl pushed CJ behind him right as Baldy tried to grab her.

While Daryl and Baldy fought, CJ pulled out her gun and aimed at Manbun. As she fired, he dropped to the ground and slid across the concrete floor of the garage, the bullet missing him. She tried to shoot again, but the man managed to scramble to his feet and shove her, knocking the gun out of her hand.

She dropped to a crouch and spun around, throwing her leg out and knocking the man out from beneath. When he fell to the floor, grunting as his spine hit the solid surface, CJ kicked him in the face, his nose breaking under her boot, blood immediately pouring down his face. He growled and yelled as he got back up, running for CJ when she pulled out her knife.