Asheville, NC

The car pulls in front of the newly minted FEMA headquarters, which used to be the City Hall building. They climb out and head up the stairs. A guard salutes and opens the door. They head inside and down a long hallway. Pushing open the stairwell door, they start climbing to the third floor. Opening the door, they travel down a long corridor to the door at the end. Morgan reaches out and opens it.

"Good evening gentlemen, sorry for the abrupt calls during meal time," Annie speaks as the men rise. "This is Rick Grimes, a survivor of Atlanta and Georgia. At 0600 tomorrow morning, we are sit rep a mission to retrieve survivors before the governmental burn in three days. If everyone would sit, we can begin." The men sit as Annie turns her ThinkPad on. "Thanks to hackers and nerds, I have my virus software operational. As you know, I have been working on a cure for the hemorrhagic fever. Good news … I can cure it. Even better news … I know who gave this to us."

Holographic images dance from the pad and around the room. "My computational data has informed me that the Z-Virus as we call it was dropped in dirty bombs almost two years ago. Having said that, here is the rest of the information." A man's face appears. "He is ShahkAm ShahAb Okhovat NaazeemZadeh, a known Iranian Bio-Weapons Engineer who works with weapons grade cobalt-60 and plutonium-238. His last known location was Mumbai; he works for whoever will pay his salary. What my data has configured is he wrapped dirty bombs with weapons grade anthrax, Ebola and another virus, which caused them to mutate and become what we call Z-Virus. All our data in the Middle East suggested that someone there decided to decimate the world powers and do this."

"Doctor Blake, what is the prognosis at this moment?" a man in uniform asks.

"We can cure the hemorrhagic fever, but I am still working on a way to eradicate the walkers. The malitosin trials of late have been more stronger than previous, but nothing thus far. I also was able to obtain a pure same of the Z-Virus from Mr. Grimes when he entered my care last week. That is how I was able to break it down and find ShahkAm."

"If the malitosin trials work out, what is the concrete bottom line?" another man asks.

"If it works, we eradicate all walkers … I create it, you have to figure the dispersal mechanism."

"And if the malitosin trials don't work, what have we accomplished?"

"The malitosin will be an inoculation against the hemorrhagic fever which it has cured."

"Could it be used on people who already have the fever?"

"Unknown at present, still working on it."

"And this mission to Georgia, why is that so important?"

"Because my son and infant daughter may still be alive," Rick speaks up.

"You said 0600, what is the operational parameters?"

"We live my compound at 0600, travel to Montreat and gear up, wheels up by 0630 at the latest. Three helicopters will fly in formation into Georgia airspace where they break. Each one will fly to predetermined points and start broadcasting for any survivors to come out to be rescued. Once we start finding people, we will fly mission sorties back and forth over the course of the day. Each helicopter will have full on protection guards to eliminate any walker presence that appears."

"Length of project?"

"Until sunset when we lose visuals."

"All right, we will add four more choppers and guards from here in Asheville," the man in the uniform smiles. "Get some sleep Doctor Blake, you have just given us the edge in all this."

"Wait, did you say you were adding four more choppers?" Morgan asks.

Annie and Rick look at one another then back at them. "Yes Morgan, we are adding four more helicopters. We know what the government is planning, and truthfully we can't spare the fuel to have three helicopters flying back and forth from sunrise to sundown. We can spare 7 helicopters for three trips ONLY."

"Three trips only," Annie snaps. "What happens when there are more people than three trips a helicopter left on the ground, along with our guards!"

"The guards will be briefed that if they are not at predetermined points with survivors, then they are to take cover and make their way back to North Carolina within 3 days with as many people as they can protect easily. You won't be using your normal Stings for this, we're sending you the 7 Gorgons that we have gotten flight ready."

"Did you say 7 Gorgons?" Morgan asks.

"That we did."

"Then with that said sir," Morgan begins, "I request that all Gorgons be outfitted with one MedPac to be dropped upon arrival at predetermined coordinates and we will use the MedPacs as the extraction points for all retrievals."

"Can you spare 7 MedPacs?"

"These are the basic MedPacs that were used during the original outbreak … sort of like MASH units during Korea."

"That we don't have a problem with. We'll send the choppers over at 0600 to be loaded. Everyone get some rest, we have a lot of work tomorrow."

Everyone rises and begins filing into the hallway. Annie leans against the wall and stares at Rick. "Gorgon helicopters are black ops capable with the capacity to hold up to 50 personnel, not including the pilot and crew. I didn't know there were 7 around here."

"So is this good or not?" Rick asks.

"Once the troops are on the ground, we can load fifty people at a time," Morgan explains as they start walking. "That's 50 people per trip per helicopter."

"But what if there's more than a 1000 people?" Rick asks, quickly doing the math.

"Then I believe we are disobeying orders," Annie says with a sly grin.

"Here we go again," Morgan moans.

They arrive back at the house around 830p; the Humvee leaves as they head inside. Mamie opens the door and lets them in. "There's someone to see you out on the deck."

They exchange glances and head to the deck. Opening the door, they find a man in a uniform sitting there. "Hope you don't mind, I stoked the fire."

"What can we do for you, General?" Morgan asks as he closes the door.

"I know how important Georgia is to you in finding your friends and family, but we have another situation to think about … we need to find the Governor."

"He's dead in the middle of our prison yard," Rick speaks up. "He's dead."

"Are you sure?"

"I am," Annie replies. "I found his body, he was stabbed through the heart and had a bullet in his head."

"And you believe him to be the Governor?"

"I was there when he was stabbed and shot," Rick growls. "He decapitated a very dear friend of mine."
"Hershel Greene, I know," the man states. "Mr. Grimes, I know all about you."

"And what sort of problem do you have with me?" Rick asks, feeling his anger rising.

"I don't know if you are the type of person I need to let run free among our populace."

"I would rather Rick be in charge than Lloyd!" Annie hisses. "I spent time with these people, they are good and descent people, they didn't have to take me in but they did!"

"I know that Annie."

"Fine, you want me gone then I'm gone," Rick snaps.

"If he leaves so do I," Morgan adds.

"And that goes double for me," Annie hisses.

"Morgan was the first person who took me in after I woke up from my coma; if he hadn't, I wouldn't have survived," Rick tells him. "Sir, my kids are still there."

"Do you know for certain that Carl and Judith are alive?"

"How do you know their names!" Rick snaps.

"Because I told him," Carol speaks up, walking from the shadows. "Hello Rick."

"Carol."

"You look well."

"Only because of Annie. Did she tell you she killed two people that might have survived the hemorrhagic fever?"

"I did it to keep it from spreading," Carol replies.

"Yea well, it spread and killed a bunch of people," Rick replies with a hiss. "Were Karen and David's lives worth so little to you?"

"Yes."

"Patrick," Annie speaks up, "are you sure you want a woman like her by your side?"

"What would David and Michael think about you and him?"

"David and Rick would actually get along," Annie replies. "They are so much alike."

He looks over at Carol. "Let's go."

"What happens now?" Carol asks as she follows him out.

"We'll see how well the recovery mission goes tomorrow," he responds.

They close the door as Annie feels her blood boiling. "I hate that woman, never met her but I hate her."

"She's a piece of work," Morgan huffs.

"I thought she was a friend at one time," Rick adds. "Who was the man?"

"General Patrick Helms, my father-in-law," Annie replies.

The door opens as Patrick enters without Carol. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a photo and shows it to them. "Do you know this man?"

"Daryl," Rick and Annie both say.

"Daryl Dixon," Patrick chuckles, "no wonder I couldn't find him. He and I go back a ways and I need you to find him and bring him back."
"He was part of my group, Daryl's a great man," Rick admits.

"That's good to know; make sure when you find him to bring him to me," Patrick smiles and heads for the door. "Have a good night."

"Oily peckerwood," Annie hisses under her breath.

"I agree," Morgan replies.

"Let's do what the man says and get some rest. I don't know what sort of venom Carol has been feeding him, but we need to put a stop to it," Rick yawns.

Stepping into the shower, Rick feels the hot water hit his face. Running his hands over his face, he lets the water flow down his back and over his aching muscles. He leans his hands against the wall and lets the shower head beat down on his body. The hot water begins to release the tension in his body as a pair of hands begin caressing his sides.

"Feeling better?"

"So much. Thanks."

"I've been thinking about Patrick and Carol … I wonder if she is the reason they want Daryl back so bad."

"I have no idea, Daryl is pretty much an island unto himself." He rises and turns to face her. "I have never been so glad for hot water in my life."

She grins and pulls his face down to a slow passionate kiss. He pulls her into his arms as they mold their bodies together. "I thought you were taller," he speaks as he nibbles her neck.
"Only in boots dear." She feels his hardening member rub against her leg. "That didn't take long."

"I've been trying to hide it since before we left for Asheville," he purrs into her ear.

She laughs as she reaches for the soap; she lathers her hands and begins to run them over his body. Taking her cue, he does the same as he massages her breasts in his hands. Their eyes continually drink in one another as they continue to bathe one another. He turns to rinse then backs away for her to do the same; he slides behind her and begins caressing her more sensually. She gasps as his hands move down her breasts and slide between her legs. She leans her head back against his shoulder as a soft moan escapes her lips. "You are so…"

She doesn't have a chance to finish as his mouth clamps down on hers. They hungrily kiss one another as he continues to work on her. Reaching her hand out, she turns off the spigot as he pushes the door open. He leads her out as she grabs two towels and abruptly turns to face him. She pulls the towel around him then wraps one around herself.

"Don't get too hasty, I don't want my sheets wet from the shower." She kisses his nose and exits into the bedroom with him close behind. Walking to the fireplace, she leans over and ignites it. "The heat doesn't warm my room that much at night."

"We will be making our own heat," he grins.

"True," she smiles and turns to face him, "but you will appreciate this in the morning."

Walking over, he takes the towel from around her and pulls her against him. Discarding his towel to the floor, he maneuvers them to the bed and stretches her out. Lifting her hips, he releases the cover below them before covering their bodies with it. His mouth returns to feast upon both her nipples as she moans softly. His hand holds her hips steady as he presses slowly and steadily until he's fully sheathed inside her. The warmth, the constriction, robs him of words and a good portion of his air, and he hangs suspended over her for an eternity, not moving. Just feeling. Then they move together, sliding and rubbing and pressing against all the right places, a little clumsy and absolutely perfect. He can't stop the flow of words that spills from his lips as he presses his mouth against his ear, breathing out just how perfect and wonderful and amazing she is and how damn lucky he is that she chose him.

She kisses him, partly to shut him up, he thinks, but neither of them is complaining. Then his mouth moves lower, finding one of her nipples, and she shatters beneath him. She sighs his name as she comes, and his own hoarse, wordless exhalation answers her. He stiffens, straining between her legs for a long, flawless moment before collapsing beside her on the bed.

She pulls him back over atop her as she cradles his head against her shoulder. She runs her fingers through his hair and kisses his forehead as he drifts off to sleep in her embrace. She lays there in silent contemplation for her next move is one she doesn't want him to be a part of.

He awakens in the warm bed; reaching over, he finds he is alone. He sits up and looks around; the scent of brewing coffee emanates from the kitchen. Rising hurriedly, he grabs his clothes on and heads down the hall. Mamie is sitting at the table alone as she holds a folded piece of paper up.

"She left without you."

"Why?"
"Read this."

He takes the paper and unfolds it. Darling, stay where you are please. There are things at play that you need not be a part of. Patrick and Carol's visit last night was not a test, but a warning to me. They know too much which means Lloyd knows to much. Be safe, I promise I will return to you by nightfall. Annie.

He slips into the chair opposite of Mamie, looking at the page. "Do you have anymore coffee?"

She reaches over and grips his hand. "I just made a fresh pot. Let me make you some breakfast."

"All right," he replies numbly.

She walks into the kitchen and starts preparing food for the two of them. "She will be back, she always keeps her word."