Venice
I woke to the sound of a door shutting. We were back in the lab where Glenn had drawn the map on the floor. I was laid on a lab station. I shot up, adrenaline rushing through my body.
"Those men you were with, we need to know where they went." I heard Rick's voice. I looked around the room. He was talking to the same kid that had been yelling.
"I ain't tellin' you nothin'." The kid looked to be 16 maybe 17. He had a tattoo of a marijuana leaf on his neck and was bleeding out the corner of his mouth.
"Jesus man, what the hell happened back there?" T-dog asked.
"I told ya, this lil' turd and his douchebag friends came outta nowhere and jumped us."
"Eh, you're the one who jumped me, puto, screaming about trying to find his brother like it's my damn fault." Oh, so he was a little Mexican thug.
"They took Glenn. Could've taken Merle too." Daryl was pacing, his hands fisted on his hips. I slid off the table to my feet. I walked over to the three of them.
"Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle." The kid should have regretted saying that. Daryl lunged toward him but Rick caught him and held him back. Daryl still tried to kick the kid though, it was quite humorous.
"Damn it, Daryl. Back off!" Rick shouted at him. I chuckled and put my hand on Daryl's shoulder, which he shook off. Daryl walked over to Glenn's pack and fished around for something.
"Wanna see what happened ta the last guy who pissed me off?" Daryl pulled out Merle's hand and threw it down in the kid's lap. The kid looked at it and jumped then screamed and jumped out of the chair he was in. Daryl stalked over to him and put his hands around the kid's neck. "Start with the feet this time!" Daryl said. Rick pulled Daryl away again.
"The men you were with took our friend. All we want to do is talk to them; see if we can work something out. The kid nodded slightly, still on the ground where Daryl left him. He nodded fearfully.
We arrived at what looked like a factory. Two large wooden doors were the only way in.
"T-dog, you're gonna go to the roof and be a sniper."
"Rick, I can guarantee I'm a better shot than him. Give me the rifle; I'll go to the roof." I was walking toward T-dog. I put my hand out for the rifle.
"Alright. Venice, you got to the roof. Daryl you and I will go in, T-dog you will stay right here to cover us." T-dog nodded once. Rick looked to Daryl, "You sure you can be calm?" Daryl just looked at him. "Alright, let's go get Glenn." Daryl walked the kid forward into the small courtyard in front of the door. Rick was slightly ahead of them, T-dog stayed behind, and I went to the roof. I had my sights trained on the door. Some big Mexican guys walked out behind a smaller, possibly black, man. Rick and the smaller man conversed for about five minutes before the men went back inside. Rick ushered me down after they were all gone.
"He wants the guns." We walked to a small construction trailer and went inside. Daryl pointed to a spot and the kid sat down.
"Them guns are worth more than gold. Gold won't protect your family or put food on the table. You willin' to give that up for that kid?" Daryl was pacing in front of the small desk
"If I knew we'd get Glenn back I might agree. But you think that vato across the way is just gonna hand him over?" T-dog asked.
"You callin' G a liar?" The kid asked.
"Shut up," I said as I smacked him across the head.
"Are you a part of this?" Daryl asked angrily while moving towards the kid. "You wanna hold onto your teeth?" He asked while smacking the kid's cheek and ear. The kid flinched. Rick and T-dog just watched calmly. Daryl sure was wound tight.
"Question is: Do you trust this man's word?" T-dog asked.
"No, question is: What are you willing to bet on it?" Daryl interjected. "Could be more than them guns. Could be your life. Glenn worth that to you?" Daryl was calmer now as he leaned against a small filing cabinet.
"He's a part of your group."
"What life I have I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could've walked away but he didn't. Neither will I." Rick went back to fiddling with the bag of guns.
"So you're gonna hand the guns over?" Daryl asked.
"I didn't say that. There's nothing keeping you three here. You should get out, take Venice back to camp."
"And tell your family what?" T-dog asked. Rick had a family? Why the hell was he here and not with them?
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. Rick you've got a fucking family and you're here? Why aren't you there protecting them? Daryl and T-dog and Glenn could've done this mission just fine if you weren't here. You're a damn idiot, you know that?" Everyone stayed quiet; they looked from me to Rick and back to me. Shocked, that was the most I've spoken since they met me.
Daryl went and picked up a shotgun, Rick handed one to T-dog, he handed me a pistol with a holster and a shotgun. The kid stood up. "Come on, this is nuts." Daryl pointed at the floor, telling him to sit back down. The kid was becoming worried, about to cry. "Just do like G says."
