Leaving the Apocalypse Behind | The Walking Dead

He's Missing In Action

Morgan and Negan pull their cars up behind the "Welcome to Culpepper" sign and step out to just observe for a minute. "Well, what a fine friggin' how da you do!  New arrivals and not a welcome wagon in sight."  Negan says, holding out his hand and waving it across in front of him like he's showing prizes on some game show.  Ignoring Negan's attempt at sarcasm, Morgan says thoughtfully, "Where are the walkers? We haven't passed any for a couple of miles and there don't appear to be any milling around on the street either. Let's leave the cars out of sight here and walk in on foot."  Eugene pipes up, "I also observed the odd absence of our flesh-eating friends and surmised perhaps there simply are none in this region, which would then imply the simple fact. Gabriel says, "Which is?" Eugene answers Gabriel, just happy someone is listening, " We've stumbled into Utopia."  Eugene then looks around and sees Glenn, Morgan and Negan are already halfway to Main Street. Father Gabriel slaps Eugene on the back as if to say, "I hear ya" as he follows the others into town...Eugene scurrying to catch up.

When they arrive on Main Street, Morgan takes 2 pieces of paper and a pen, drawing a line down the center of each to represent Main Street. "Okay, left side and right side. Pointing to each area as he speaks. "Glenn and I will take the right. Negan, you, Eugene and Father Gabriel, take the left. Mark the location of each building and what it is. Let's start here, work our way to the end and meet back here in an hour."  Everyone nodded in agreement and headed for their prospective side of the street.

Negan's group heads to the left and enters the first building, "Maxwell's Hardware," making notes they feel are necessary, then continuing down the street. They cautiously walk each area and in some cases, multiple floors, making sure they are safe and free of walkers.   At some point half-way down the street, Father Gabriel stops; holding one finger in the air. "Did anyone hear that?"  "What was it?" Negan asks. Gabriel continues, "I'm not sure. I thought I heard a motorcycle." Negan replies, "I doubt it, Preacher.  Probably just the wind howling"  Since no one else seemed to have heard it, Gabriel shrugged his shoulders as they continue walking toward the 2nd to the last building, a 2-story hotel called, The Culpepper Inn.

As they approach the entrance to the hotel, they are shocked to hear what sounds like the sounds of someone sobbing.  It's coming from inside the hotel.  As they cautiously walk through what's left of a seemingly smashed front door, they are stunned by what they see.  A man and woman tied to chairs; their mouths gagged.  "Well..." Negan says..."that's not something you see every day."  The man looked as though he'd lost a lightweight boxing match in the 1st round. Bloody and beaten. The young woman looked scared out of her mind, mumbling warnings to leave and get out. "We're begging you!  Help us! We've gotta get out of here fast" stating their little boy was just been taken from them.  They fought against their assailants but were outnumbered, overcome and then tied up.  Negan asks them how many people there were and where they went.  Michael told him there were 6-7 who attacked them and then said he thinks they took off on motorcycles.  Suddenly, Negan looks over to Father Gabriel and says, "My apologies, Padre."  Acknowledging that Gabriel was correct earlier.

With night having fallen, Morgan and Gabriel turn on their flashlights.  Morgan uses one to take stock of their immediate surroundings and Gabriel hands his to Eugene.  Glenn and Negan set up a temporary watch perimeter at the windows, hopefully giving Eugene enough time to free their two captives from their ropes.