A/N: This is obviously AU. Takes place in the Southwest and is apocalyptic without zombies. Don't own the characters; just borrowing them for a short ride with my original characters. Not my normal thread, but it begged to be born, so without further ado …
Joley Adams stared up at the helicopter descending on the partial roof of their refugee camp for a stunned moment before jumping into action.
"Rick!" she screamed, sliding down the sheetrock and sprinting toward the center of the open building.
Her startled campmates bewilderedly glanced at the military entourage emerging through ceiling and looked to their leader for direction. Should they run and hide or stand their ground?
Rick Grimes strode to the forefront of the crowd with Daryl Dixon and Aaron Meeks flanking him, all of them without any visible weapons.
Maggie Greene appeared at Joley's side and they glanced at each other, trying to tamp down the terror they felt as their men approached the imposing threat.
Nathan Wilder haughtily led the armed soldiers toward the man who obviously led the ragtag group ensconced in the former desert bunker.
A scientist who delighted in experimenting on humans, Nathan knew he had found the perfect test subjects.
The soldiers rounded up the camp without much resistance—they all knew it was futile to fight—and herded them like cattle into an old auditorium on the grounds.
Rick had persuaded Nathan to let Joley, Maggie, Daryl and Aaron stay with him at the front of the theater with Nathan for a calming effect on the frightened crowd.
Nathan explained how the camp would be helping him as the lights dimmed and images flashed on the screen.
Joley and Maggie were perched on the corner of the stage as Aaron, Daryl and Rick huddled next to them, talking so softly even the women couldn't hear them.
Nathan paused in his talk for effect and Rick straightened and nonchalantly walked in front of Joley to situate himself between her legs and lean back. She wrapped her arms around his middle and pressed her nose into his bearded jawline. He turned his head slightly and closed his eyes.
"When Aaron tells you to move, you move," he huskily whispered. Joley subtly nuzzled him in response.
Moments later, he and Daryl disappeared into the dark.
Barely able to see in the dark, Aaron motioned for Joley to follow and Joley grabbed Maggie's hand to drag her toward a windowless back room.
Aaron slammed the door shut and forced them to the floor, pulling his jacket over their heads.
"Whatever you do," he hissed, "don't open your eyes!"
Joley heard the screams and then an explosion before fading to black.
"Hey, darlin', wake up," a voice told her from a distance.
Joley roused to see Rick kneeling over her. She turned her head to see Daryl cradling Maggie, and Aaron sitting up with a dazed expression.
"It's time to go," Rick gently said, lifting Joley into his arms as if she weighed nothing. Daryl did the same with Maggie as Aaron struggled to his feet.
"Close your eyes, darlin', and don't open them until I tell you to, okay?" Rick said as he shouldered his way out of the hazy room.
Joley tried to ask why, but her throat was dry, so all that came out was a croak.
Rick shook his head.
"Please, listen to me on this," he urged. Joley glanced at Maggie who obediently was burying her face in Daryl's neck, clinging to him.
Rick's eyes pleaded with her and she gave in.
Aaron knew he would never forget the horrors he witnessed as he followed Rick and Daryl through the carnage.
The scientist and his soldiers had donned hazmat suits before showering the crowd with some toxic hazard that sheered their skin like a nuclear blast. They all were frozen in time with gruesome masks.
Once Nathan and his men had triggered the chemical bomb, they had eased their way toward the roof, unaware Rick and Daryl were rigging the helicopter to explode on takeoff.
Rick and Daryl had taken shelter behind an enormous rock cropping before returning to rescue their survivors.
After swiping what belongings they could recover from the campsite, the little band fled into the brush, knowing they wouldn't have much time before a cleanup crew would swoop in.