SHELTER | DIXON

|6|

Holed up back in the same building they'd been in before, the four group members debated on how best to handle the situation as they stared at the bag of guns on the table. Miguel sat on the floor against the wall anxiously, his eyes darting back and forth between them as he waited impatiently for what their final decision would be. "Them guns are worth more than gold," Daryl told Rick. "Gold won't protect your family or put food on the table. You willing to give that up for that kid?"

Madison wanted to snap at him. To say that of course they would do it, of course they were going to save Glenn ― no matter the cost. But he had a point, and no matter how much she hated it, she couldn't deny that. T-Dog couldn't, either. "If I knew we'd get Glenn back, I might agree," T said to Rick. 

"They're right," Madison admitted. "Who's to say that guy is just gonna hand him over?"

"You calling G a liar?" Miguel snapped at her.

She merely looked at him with an expression that clearly spoke she didn't give a shit what the kid said, but Daryl stomped toward him angrily. "Are you part of this?!" He smacked him across the face. "Ya wanna hold onto yer teeth?!"

Madison, Rick and T watched as Daryl glared the boy down before finally backing away. "Question is," T asked Rick, "Do you trust that man's word?"

"No, question is whatcha willin' to bet on it?" Daryl corrected, looking toward the sheriff. "Could be more than them guns. Could be yer life. Glenn worth that to you?"

Rick glanced between them as he placed his handgun in the holster on his belt. "What life I have, I owe to him," he admitted. "I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could have walked away, but he didn't. Neither will I."

"So yer gonna hand the guns over?"

"I didn't say that." Rick's gaze shifted between the three of them. "There's nothing keeping you three here. You should get out, head back to camp."

"And tell your family what?" T-Dog demanded.

"Oh, hell no," Madison said, shaking her head. "I'm not leaving you to deal with this shit alone." She stepped forward, holding her hand out for a gun, eyebrows raised as Rick studied her expression to make sure she was serious and wouldn't change her mind. But there was nothing but resolve in her eyes, and he could see it.

As Rick handed her a gun, Daryl and T-Dog exchanged a look with each other. Their eyes darted back to Madison, loading the gun that Rick had given her, and Rick himself, who was watching them, waiting for their response. One nod from Daryl was all it took and the two men were stepping forward as well, grabbing guns of their own. "Come on, this is nuts!" Miguel exclaimed, standing up. Daryl turned to him threateningly, poking him harshly in the chest. He stumbled backward and sat down again. "Just do like G says," he pleaded.

"You know what?" Madison turned around to look at him. "Quite frankly, G can kiss my ass." She cocked her gun moved across the room to peer out the window, checking to make sure if the coast was clear from geeks or anything else that could be out there.

Not long after, they were making their way back into the same courtyard as before while Daryl held a rifle to Miguel's back. They led him inside, all with their guns held at the ready, their bodies on high alert as they walked into a large garage-type room with a bunch of men who all had weapons on them as well. Guillermo stormed toward them with a scowl on his face. "I see my guns," he said, glancing at the bag hanging on Rick's back. "But they're not all in the bag."

"That's because they're not yours," Rick told him matter-of-factly. "I thought I mentioned that."

"Let's just shoot these fools right now, ese, alright?" Felipe told Guillermo angrily. "Unload on their asses, ese." Madison shifted the aim of her gun, now pointing it right between Felipe's eyes. He glared at her furiously, but didn't make a move.