Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Sixty.

 Disappointed.

"Maybe they went out the back. I can track them." Daryl says, Gabriel listens to the people above them, "Are you in a hurry to leave?" a different man asks, "What?" Daryl asks, "Other building, you wanted to stick around and make sure we didn't miss anything. Now you wanna run right off. Which is it?" the stranger asks

"Look, man, I'm just trying to help." Daryl says, "Yet you keep chirpin'." "Fine. You lose 'em, it's on you. It ain't on me." Daryl says, "Stop. Wash, we need a perimeter check. Possible runners. Half a klick." a woman says.

But it's not Iris, Maggie looks over to Gabriel concerned, "Copy that, Shaw." the radio crackles, "Look. I don't have time for this toddler bullshit." the woman says, "Listen..." "I know. I understand, but I don't need it. Go sift upstairs, make sure we didn't miss anything."

Maggie looks through the gap in the floor above them, she tries to see if Iris is with them, her anxiety grows when she cant see the redhead, "Don't." "Don't what?" Daryl questions, "You're either with us or you're not." "What do you want me to do?" Daryl asks, "For one thing... stop pissing off Carver. Usually don't end well." the woman says walking away.

.........

"They ran. They ain't comin' back here." Daryl says, "What?" "I mean, think about it. You hit 'em hard. Even if they get more people, they won't come back here. It's a bad move. You got what? people in your town. You got weapons. You got walls. You'd see them coming from a mile away. Trust me. They ran." Daryl explains.

Gabriel grips onto his gun, "Is there a point to any of this?" "Let's go. There's nothing here. It's time we move on." "No. We're missing something." "Fine. Let's waste another hour. That's smart." Daryl argues, "Daryl..." "It's not my fault he's too stupid to pay attention!" Daryl shouts.

"Yeah. Chirp, chirp, chirp." "Enough." "Ah, screw that. This dirtbag wants to play, I'll teach him the rules." "I'm right here, man. Make a move." Daryl says, "This is not the time, and it's not your call to make." "Jesus, Shaw. We both know who he really is deep down." "What?" "I was there. Remember? After. What, you think this is gonna end any different?"

"So this is what? You looking out for me?" "Always." "Uh-huh. Gotcha. And what about the fire? When Pope locked me in the cabin and lit it up. You must have known. Was that you looking out for me, too?" "Shaw. Wake up. Everything's a test now. If you think this guy or that redhead is ever gonna give a shit about any of us, you're gonna fail."

"No, he's right. I don't give a shit about any of you. Except you. I'm here for you. It's no secret. I made mistakes. But I'm here right now. Maybe I'd be better at it this time, if you'd let me." Daryl says to the woman, "And Pope scares the shit outta me. I don't wanna be face-first in the fire under his boot. But if you say trust 'em, I'll trust 'em." Daryl adds.

"We've wasted enough time here already." "Oh, you're not seriously gonna..." "It's time to move on." "Sure. Your call... Hold on." the man says, he moves the rug and pulls open the hidden door, pointing his gun into the empty space, "told ya" Daryl says.

........

Iris stands a few feet away from Pope as he talks to a man, she watches as Daryl and the others walk towards them, the other man walks away from Pope and he turns his attention to the group, "They were there. Caught signs, but they slipped away." Carver explains.

"Sorry." he says, "Ooh." Pope starts laughing, "I thought you'd be disappointed." Leah says, "Well, this day was a success." Pope says, "How so?" Leah asks, "After you left, I continued the "discussion" with our guest. He wasn't too talkative. But I got everything I needed out of him." Pope explains, looking over at Daryl.

They look back at Frost tied to a tree, now a walker, Pope walks away, whispering something to Carver, Iris glances at Daryl before following a few feet behind Pope.

..........

"Wait. Take a minute, then we're almost there. About three miles out." Maggie says, trying to catch her breath after they had been moving for so long, "You can't be serious. Daryl just told us to go home." Negan says.

"I didn't hear that." Maggie says, "Well, I think he was being subtle. He said they were armed with lookouts." negan says, "And Daryl knows I would never turn back." Maggie argues, "How're you gonna keep going, Maggie, huh? With what army?" Negan questions.

"Come on, Gabe, back me up here." he says, "Our people are about to starve. I'm not going back to my family having failed." Gabriel says, "Oh, Jesus. At least admit what you're asking of us... Walking to our deaths for what, a sack of beans?" Negan says.

"If you're more interested in saving yourself than protecting the people back home, you can go. We don't need you." Maggie says, "We both know that's not true. Alright, tell you what. You make me a promise... In front of the goddamn preacher... And I will stick around." Negan says.

"Promise you what?" Maggie asks, "I do this for you, and we're even, we are good. I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder." Negan explains, "We will never be even." Maggie snaps, "Then you are gonna be down a soldier that you desperately need. Your call." Negan says.

Maggie thinks for a minute, "You'd take a promise from me? Really?" she questions, "Yeah. I would. I'm assuming you are a woman of your word. I've always been a man of mine." Negan explains. He steps forward and holds out his hand, Maggie takes it, shaking it.

The woman stops when she hears twigs snapping in the distance, looking up she finds a familia walker, "What is it?" Gabriel asks, Maggie looks back at Elijah before pulling out her knife and walking over to the walker, she drives the blade into the skull, letting the body drop to the floor.

"It's his sister's best friend. Teresa. She was just a kid." Maggie explains, "We have to get them. All of them." Maggie says, walking away, "Hey. Y'all know Blackbeard, too?" Negan asks, stopping them, "Wait." Maggie says, grabbing onto Elijah's arm and stopping him from killing the walkers. "Think we can find more?" Maggie asks, looking back at the others.