Carol never stopped moving, slipping from yard to yard as she took shot after shot. There were too many targets to be able to stop. When she ran out of bullets she shoved her gun into her thigh holster and grabbed her knife instead, ducking behind Michonne until she could pick her next target. Shooting was nice because she didn't have to get so close, and in a crowd it was much safer, but there was no time to reload until this group of walkers was dealt with.
"Stay close, we're almost there." Michonne's sword had a better reach and she took out two and three walkers with each swipe.
A gun shot rang out from across the street and Sasha waved at them from a second floor window before aiming her rifle again. She started picking off walkers that were at the edge of the small group and soon the last of them was on the ground. Sasha disappeared from the window, but was outside on the yard moments later.
"This is organized isn't it?" Michonne looked grim, "Just like the attacks by the Governor. Just what we need, another sociopath with a vision." She shook blood and gore from her sword.
Carol nodded, wiping her knife blade against her sleeve. It was one of her flowery cardigans, and she had the feeling she wouldn't be needing that persona again. "We need to find the others."
"I think I saw Rick on the next street." Sasha pointed across the row of shrubs, "There are more walkers over there, but I think there were humans who were shooting at our people too. We have to be careful; I know I don't know all of the residents by sight."
"I know most, but wouldn't bet on guessing right every time." Carol sighed, "We'd better keep moving." She paused, letting Michonne take the lead as they made their way to the next street where there was an on-going gun fight still audible.
There were walkers along the street, moving toward one of the houses and Carol could see that there were people in almost every window and that they were shooting. Carl was in one of the second floor windows, wearing his father's old hat, and he hesitated as they rounded the corner. He was the only one who seemed to notice them though, and they just jumped into the fight with the hope that their own people would not shoot them by mistake.
It continued that way until this group of walkers was also taken care of, as well as a few humans that had been using them as camouflage. Carol stayed focused and the time seemed to pass quickly, though she knew that soon it would be dark and if they didn't stop the attack before then that their efforts might all be in vain. They were gathering to clear another street when Abraham, Rosita and Aaron approached.
Aaron was winded, but seemed clear headed. "They are taking people. I think they took Daryl, and one of the neighbors saw them getting others from their homes. They took Eric."
Rick stared at him, "They took people? Why?"
"How the hell are we supposed to know why? They didn't post a manifesto." Abraham swore under his breath, "We have to go now or we won't be able to track them."
"We've still got to clear the city. We don't have time to be tracking down people in the dark." Rick gestured broadly toward the horizon where the sun was beginning to set.
"Rick, they took our people. They took Daryl. We have to do something about that now or it could be too late." Carol spoke firmly, and caught Aaron's eye, hoping that he knew she wasn't ignoring the other name he mentioned. "I have an idea, but it's dangerous."
Rick sighed, "You do what you need to do. I'll stay and try to protect what's left." He looked to his son for a moment before turning to Carol again, "Bring them back, if you can."
Carol sighed as Rick and several of the others started moving to the next street, already beginning to clear the few walkers that were still staggering around. "I have an idea, but like I said it is dangerous. If these attackers are taking people the best way to track them might be to let them take someone else and follow. They've been killing some of our people instead of taking them though."
"I'll volunteer. Maybe if I can get into one of the houses they are heading for they might-." Aaron shrugged, "I don't know. It seems like they were taking people from houses and shooting at people on the street. I've got to try something. I can't just wait here and pretend that clearing the town is going to make everything better. I need to find Eric."
"I'll help." Michonne sheathed her katana and pointed past the block Rick had headed toward, "We cross the next three streets and see what's happening. Maybe if we can get past the fighting we'll find the houses they are looking inside."
Rosita and Abraham both nodded, gripping their weapons more tightly. "We're coming too." Rosita glanced at Abraham and he nodded again, "There's a car over by the construction zone that we can use to follow the van they were putting people into."
"They had a van?" Carol sounded dismayed, "Does it occur to anyone else that this might have been the entire reason for this attack? So they could take some of the residents?"
"It has." Aaron started walking, following Michonne. "As soon as I saw that our house was only damaged from the door being kicked in and a struggle from when they grabbed Eric."
"He'll be okay. If they took Daryl too, he'll make sure that they are all okay until we get there." Carol reached out to touch Aaron's arm, "He knows we wouldn't leave them behind."
"I want to believe that, Carol, but there was blood." He shook his head and started following Michonne again.