Daryl's Angel: Saviour (Book Two)

Chapter 67: Find a Way

I drive like a madwoman, my foot lead against the pedal. I haven't driven this fast since our race to get back to Alexandria after Daryl escaped the Saviours.

Carl holds his arm, expression stoic. "Hope, we can't bring Siddiq in without talking to my dad," he says.

I grit my teeth. "We'll worry about that later."

"I was going to hide him in the sewers. There's a manhole cover outside the gate. It's clear," Carl continues like he didn't hear me. "You can bring him supplies—"

"Carl," I say. I sound stern, harsher than I would like. "I cannot save you without his help, okay? I've got my own plan."

"Just...don't let him get hurt because of this."

Siddiq, sitting in the backseat, shifts forward as he grips the back of my seat. "I'm sorry," he says. "Carl, we didn't have to fight those walkers. You could've left. That was my problem."

"I'm responsible for you now," Carl says. "That's how this works."

"I don't want to make any trouble," Siddiq retorts. "Your dad didn't want anything to do with me."

"He did, but...sometimes kids have to find their own way to show their parents the way." Carl lets his head fall against the window, pushing his hat askew. "We'll find a way."

Alexandria gets closer, the gates within view, and I stop the car for a moment. "Siddiq, get in the trunk. Don't ask questions," I say.

He pulls back the back seats, opening a space for him to crawl into the trunk, and I reach back and shut it behind him. I pull Carl's sleeve over the tourniquet, making him raise an eyebrow at me.

"We don't need anyone else panicking," I mutter. I shift the car back into drive and approach the gates.

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I bring the car right to the infirmary. I step out, making sure that there's no one nearby, and I do a cursory check of the infirmary itself to make sure Tara or Rosita aren't hanging around inside. Thankfully, there aren't any patients either, as everyone who was hurt was patched up enough to leave before I left today.

It's empty, so I spirit Siddiq inside with Carl, settling Carl onto one of the beds and taking his hat off for him. I put my bag down, plans running through my head, trying to parse out what the best course of action is. There's still insistent, screaming adrenaline coursing through me, keeping me going. I'm amazed I haven't burst into tears. Maybe I'm finally growing past my crybaby nature.

I'll need something to do the amputation with, then I'll need something to staunch the blood while I prepare for a transfusion, and I need to find Daryl.

For a moment, Tyreese's death flashes through my brain. He bled so much even though Michonne took his arm off in one clean swipe. I don't know if I'll be able to get through Carl's arm in one go like that, but I'm going to have to try. I refuse to let him be another Tyreese.

I swallow back nausea and tell myself that things will be fine.

"I need to go to the armoury," I say. "Siddiq, wash your hands and be ready. Carl, just...keeping holding on."

I leave the infirmary and run down the street, fully expecting the armoury to be empty, but I startle hard when I nearly run straight into Tobin. Ever since Olivia died, there hasn't been one designated person watching over the armoury or the pantry like before, and it's often unmanned. People take shifts sometimes, but the watch towers have been far more important as of late. Enid and Eric were the most common.

"Woah, everything okay?" Tobin asks. His brow furrows as he rests his hand on my shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I take a deep breath. "Just picking up some things. Ran into some walkers on my run, I think I'm still jittery from it," I say. It's not exactly a lie. I don't want to lie.