Trust Me | Daryl Dixon

Part 74

After the vehicles were packed, the field around us stayed nearly dead silent-- no sign of anything until, faintly in the distance, the roar of an engine could be heard.

I let out a sigh of relief, finally knowing that that goodbye wasn't our last, as we watched Daryl ride back into the field, hoping that he'd have something positive to tell us.

"You got anything?" Rick yelled over the engine.

Daryl nodded, turning off his bike, "Got tracks headin' east outta the woods-- their rides got a bad gasket valve, left a trail down the road a few miles."

"So we got them?" Glenn asked, looking from Daryl to Rick.

"We got them." Rick nodded, pulling the radio phone off his belt and up to his face, "Talk to me." He said into the phone, static buzzing on the other side.

"You weren't listening," the voice responded, "I said I'd contact you."

"Would it make a difference if I said I was sorry about that?"

"What do you think." They responded, dully.

"I think we're gonna make the trade, so tell me where." Rick coerced.

The voice lightly scoffed, "We haven't agreed to that."

"You will." Rick said, confidently.

"You know what?" They began, "Im not so sure.. we'd be taking most of the risk and not getting much in the way of a reward."

Rick let out a frustrated sigh before looking around at all of us, bringing the radio phone back up to his mouth, "The other option won't work out for you."

The line went quiet for a moment before the static came on again, "We'll take our chances."

Rick nodded, his lips pursed together as he clipped the device back onto his belt, "You heard them; it's gonna be a fight."

"We're ready." Michonne said, nodding at Rick as he looked over to her.

"We've been ready." Abraham added, "Let's go get them back."

***

My arms wrapped tightly around Daryl as we sped down the road, leading the group as we jumped into another sea of unknown possibilities.

As I watched the concrete beneath the tires fly by, the memories of the first time I ever road with Daryl filled my head. It's crazy how fast things change and how different everything is now-- last time we were going to get away for a bit and scout around, this time we're tracking strangers down to save people we love.

I leaned back, sitting up straight as Daryl raised his hand, signaling to the others to pull over.

"Ya ready?" Daryl asked, turning off the engine as we both got off the bike.

I looked back as everyone began piling out of the cars before nodding, letting out an unsteady breath, "Always."

"Daryl, where from here?" Rick asked, looking around.

"Track ends here and goes down that road there," he pointed at an almost hidden, small dirt road through the trees, "Can't be much farther."