ꜰᴏᴏʟ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ || ᴛᴡᴅ

139: ᴘᴀɪɴꜰᴜʟ ᴋɴᴇᴇꜱ

●～●～●～●～●

The Soldiers came not long after the screaming stopped. 

They arrested Rosita and Sami, and brought them outside, where they saw Ezekiel and Princess also being arrested. They were brought into rooms and separated, which Sami and Princess were going to fight, but the other two told them not to.

And Now, Sami was in an interrogation room. Alone. He'd been there a while. Probably half and hour or so. Until Mercer walked into the room. 

News of Sebastian Milton's death spread like wildfire, and Sami suspected it was about that. Walkers within the walls. He'd been home the whole time, and half wished he and the others left with Jerry and that. But they didn't. So here  they were.

He sat across from him, and read out the file in his hand. "Sami Garrido-Espinosa. 929 Miller Street, Sector G4. Currently unemployed. Married to Rosita Garrido-Espinosa, with one daughter, Socorro Garrido-Espinosa. Do you verify the information to be true?"

"I told Rosita to go with one last name, that was a lot."

"Do you verify the information?"

Sami sighed. He seemed pissed. "Yep."

"Where were you doing the riot?"

"Home."

"Who were you with?"

"Rosi."

"You were with Eugene. Several witnesses saw you with him."

Oh. They were using Eugene as the scape goat. So, what, he killed Sebastian?

"Yeah, like an half hour before."

"What'd you talk about?"

"Walkmans. He finds them, gives them to me to fix up. I give them to people."

"Have you seen him since?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I was home, then."

"That's fine. As I said to your wife, it's obvious where Eugene is going to be."

"Oh?"

"He'll be with your wife. And she'll be with you."

Sami held up his hands in surrender. "I'll call crime-stoppers if I see him."

Mercer sighed. "You're family orientated. I've seen it. In that house, when you found Rosita. After your surgery, first thing you said was your daughter's name. I know you worry about them. Want to protect them. Eugene is a threat to that protection. The harder he makes this, the worse it will be, not just for him. For all of you."

Sami sat up, looking at him. "Are you threatening my family, Mercer?"

"I'm telling you how it's gotta be."

The door behind him opened, the guard outside gesturing for Sami to leave. 

He stopped himself from saying anything else, and got up, making his way out. 

●～●～●～●～●

"Ma used to bring me to church a lot." 

Daryl looked up from the knife he was sharpening in the church, to look at Rachel. She was sitting on one of the pews, only her black converse were on the actual seat, while she was sitting on the back rest, elbow on her crossed knees, head resting in her hand as she looked up at the cross in front of them, headphones around her neck.

"They religious?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I guess. I remember . . . my knees being sore from all the kneeling. Having a strict schedule I made myself for what prayers when in the three times you kneel. I used to pray for my pets deaths to be peaceful."

Daryl glanced at the cross. "Most people pray for themselves."

"I did. For my own death to be peaceful, too. And painless. But, um . . . I remember holding my dog. And seven months later holding my cat." She blinked, remember the two of them. "There was nothing peaceful or painless about it. I ended up pretending to pray. Ma never liked how I viewed it all."

"You make your own opinions." He placed the knife down with the rest of the supplies. "If parents were meant to mold their kids, you wouldn't be so damn stupid. I'd'a made you have a bit of common fuckin' sense."

She almost laughed, but then there was a loud knocking at the door. 

Daryl grabbed his knife and made his way over to the door, as Rachel did the same. Slowly. Quietly. 

"It's me." Rosita's voice sounded, and Daryl opened two large, metal locks on the door, Rosita walking inside with her backpack. 

"How'd it go?" Daryl asked.

"Lots of repeat questions and intense staring. You?" She hurried inside.

"Same." Daryl locked the door again.

Rosita looked at Rachel. "They take you in?"

Rachel nodded. "But with their whole 'brain disorder' thing I just pretended I didn't wanna speak due to 'trauma'."

Rosita sniggered. "Good one."

The door nearby opened as Rosita placed her bag down, Eugene walking out.

"Hey. How you holding up?"

"Reckon  better than I deserve." He held his own arms. "I don't suppose you have any news of Max's whereabouts?"

"I don't. I'm sorry."

"It may seem trivial in light of all the melee and mayhem, but I'm the one who should truly be sorry. It's my actions that put you all in extremely compromised situations."

"Don't be." Daryl said. "That prick had it coming."

Rosita sighed. "Alright, what we need to do now is figure out how to get you out of here."

"The East gate shift changes around two maybe half two in the morning." Rachel said. "But then one of the guys, Brandy, is late so we'd never to be careful of him on his way back, he's around ten minutes later than the others. Then West gate is no go, too much traffic."

"What you doin' knowin' that?" Daryl asked.

"Oh, I thought of an escape plan ages ago, and then you said you would be on the East gate starting next week so I learnt the shifts." Rachel looked at Eugene, who was fidging. "Why's he doing that?"

"at the risk of sounding ungrateful for all your efforts on my behalf, I cannot leave without my beloved. I need to go find her." He stood.

"Ew."

"You got every trooper in the city looking for you." Daryl said. "You wouldn't make it a block."

"Well, be that as it may, I cannot - I-I will not leave without her. At the very least ascertain her safety."

"Okay." Rosita sighed. "You stay here, I will go look for Max. If I can find her, maybe we can get both of you out. Is that a deal?"

Eugene nodded.

"Okay." She took the knife Rachel handed her.

"Be safe." Daryl said.

Rachel stood. "I'll go with you. I don't think we should be on our own."

Rosita stopped, looking back at Daryl and shrugging. "Your call. I  wouldn't mind having someone to watch my back."

Daryl thought for a moment, looking from Rosita to Rachel. "Fine. But if you ain't back soon, I'll tell Sami where you went."

Rosita nodded. "Alright. Come on."

Rachel followed after her, and they made their way outside, hearing the lock behind them.