Chapter 10 – Search and Rescue - Part I

Inspiration Images…sort of how I picture the OC's

Eris: Daniella van Graas

Giles: Clive Owen

Chantal: Rachel Weiss

Note: I just want to thank all of you have taken the time to drop me a line to give me encouragement. You are so kind and inspiring. Thank you to euhitz, Leyshla Gisel (I agree...it's hard for me to keep the tension, I'm too impatient because the tension makes it better), GypsyWitchBaby(so glad to hear from you...love your reviews) , Caffiend04 , Emberka-2012, zaii (You are so positive and encouraging), SarCuppCake (thanks...you know I'm such a fan, and for everyone...read 'Kindred Spirits' it's excellent), TheBoneyKingOfNowhere (I always look forward to hearing from and value what you say so much...thank you), euhitz (thank you. I hope I got everyone. I luv you all!

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"So…when do we leave?" Eris came up to Daryl after watching all the guys, except for Herschel, pore over maps and make plans.

Daryl looked at her with a perplexed and annoyed expression that Eris found irritating and frustrating.

"WE aren't leaving." Daryl's voice was quite firm as he pulled her off to the side for some privacy. "I'M leaving with Rick and T-Dogg in about an hour." He explained as if he was talking to a child, trying to ignore the look of hurt and anger on her face.

"You're kidding me, right?" Eris exploded, unable to believe the decisions being made for her.

"Eris, please just stop ok?" Daryl begged her. "Please…..I need to know yer safe. I cain't go if I'm worryin' bout ya," he revealed. But instead of capitulating she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to where Rick, Glenn and T-Dogg were going over the plans.

"Daryl tells me I'm not going with you." Eris felt like she was literally breathing fire.

"Eris…you know why we can't risk YOU." Rick spoke calmly and slowly, the way he'd been taught at the academy when presented with an escalating situation.

"So what? Your plan is to head out there blind? And what if you do find some people. How will you know if they are the ones who took Andrea? Do you think there's going to be a big sign, flashing "We've got Andrea" or they'll have them tied to a post out front. None of you know what these guys look like…or exactly where we ran into them. I don't even know if I could find it on a map...I just know how to get there." She reminded them. Daryl knew the general vicinity of where the helicopter went down, but it would take them longer to find it without her.

"Eris, you were what? Some thirty-plus yards away from these men….and you said there were dozens of them. How could you possibly remember and recognize anyone?" Rick was well aware how unreliable an eye witness could be. Also how fear and adrenaline could affect how witnesses perceived things.

"Rick….I have each and every one of there faces etched on my brain forever….as well as Andrea's eyes while she stared at me, absolutely terrified while I just sat there and watched them take her away. I couldn't forget it even if I wanted to." Her voice suddenly became dull and lifeless.

"Eris, I know it's hard and you want to get Andrea back...we all do. But these things often become a blur when a witness goes through something that traumatic. I'm not sure you have any more chance of recognizing any of those men, than I have right now." Rick tried to explain to her.

"Rick! Please do not patronize me, ok? I am more than familiar with the unreliability of eyewitness memory. But I have an eidetic memory." she watched Rick's blank expression at the news and realized he had no idea what she was talking about. "I remember everything that happened that day and practically every other day….including the things I want to forget." Eris' eyes were now as dull as her voice.

"What the hell's an Idectic memory?" T-Dogg asked. Daryl looked at her strangely, a mixture of concern and consternation as he waited to find out what the hell this meant….and wondered what the hell else she had kept from him.

"It's like a photographic memory….except it isn't limited to words on pages. It means she can also precisely remember events, scents and sounds…..right?", Glenn spoke up, clearly fascinated by the phenomenon that he had only read about. Eris didn't add anything to the Asian's accurate explanation, merely nodding her head in agreement.

"My point is, that if we come across anyone I'm the only one who will be able identify if they were with the men who took Andrea and Michonne." Eris was now the one talking to Rick as if he were a small child. "And I'm the only one who can take you straight away to where the helicopter went down and save valuable time."

Daryl watched while Rick struggled to absorb and process everything Eris had said. It was one of the things he admired about Rick...the way he thought things through so carefully, never reacting out of heat and emotion like Shane...and himself. And Eris continued to surprise him with even more bits and pieces of unbelievable information about herself. It intrigued him but also infuriated, confused and bewildered him. Why the hell hadn't she told him?

"Why cain't ya just write down the descriptions?" Daryl suggested which only earned him a 'you are so stupid' glare from Eris. But he couldn't and wouldn't support any plan that involved bringing her along.

"Rick...you know that without me, you'll just be guessing and wasting time...time we need to get Andrea and Michonne back." she pleaded with them to listen, knowing it was in everyone's best interest for her to go.

In the end, Rick relented in spite of the fact he was still plagued with doubts. He had a pregnant wife and child to think of and he felt much more comfortable knowing Eris...and her blood, was near. Their survival just might depend on keeping Eris safe. Rick had never expected he would be making these kinds of decisions….the kind that came in direct conflict with his ethics and moral code.

Eris headed back into the RV to gather some things; well aware Daryl was not pleased with her right now. She figured it would be best to leave him be while he blew off some steam and hopefully calmed down. But she hadn't expected him to rush up behind her and whisk her into the bedroom. He pinned her up against the wall, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Why the hell won't ya just stay here and be safe?" he screamed at her, yet simultaneously holding her tenderly in his arms. He rubbed his hands up and down her back as if trying to memorize the feel of every curve and inch of her body.

"Why cain't ya just stay here, like Carol or Lori?" he pleaded, his voice cracking with all the fear and emotion he was unable to control.

She stared up at him…looking at the fury in his eyes, prepared to respond with all her perfectly reasonable explanations. But the more she looked into those crystal blue eyes….the less she saw fury, and the more she saw concern…and caring….and fear.

She was completely prepared to lash out ….not understanding why he didn't want her to come help them to find Andrea and incredibly hurt at his 'Carol or Lori' remark. But standing here…staring at Daryl with her heart pounding out her chest, she couldn't seem to muster the effort. Nor could Daryl as he watched her face soften and the glare in her eyes go from furious to loving. She leaned towards him, unsure if he would welcome her.

Daryl couldn't do anything but greedily wrap her in his arms. Her arms crept around his neck and she attacked his mouth with all the emotion welling up inside. She tangled her tongue with his…as if they were both trying to settle all their differences with just this one kiss.

He threw her down on the bed, further excited by the raw desire he saw in her sparkling green eyes. He settled himself between her thighs as he propped himself above her. He felt her creep her hands under his shirt and rake her nails along his back….as if she knew exactly what that would do to him. He turned his head as he struggled to stifle the groan of pleasure that just that simple act did to him. He composed himself and leaned down to look into her eyes.

"I ain't gonna lose you," he groaned before leaning down and attacking her mouth, thrusting his tongue inside while she met him with equal abandon. They took their time enjoying just the simple erotic pleasure of making out. At times Daryl felt embarrassed that he was acting like a horny teenager, but he was enjoying it too much to give a shit. But suddenly she pushed up on his chest, pulling away.

"Daryl? I looked in Andrea's eyes when they took her away. She was terrified but she still protected me. If she hadn't, they would have taken me too," she explained, all the survivor's guilt surfacing. "And I am absolutely terrified to even think about what's happening to them right now….what should be happening to me." She was unable to keep the guilt she kept feeling from pouring out.

"Eris, it ain't yer fault baby. Ya did what they asked…ya got help. It was the right thing to do….the smart thing. We'll go and get 'em back." He vowed to her. "I promise you."

"You know, without me you won't have near the chance of finding them," she reiterated the obvious.

"Eris, you know we cain't risk losing you." He laid it out. They all wanted to keep her safe in case anyone was bitten again.

"Daryl, I've already given plenty of blood should anyone need it. I'll even give more before we leave…." She gently explained. "I have to do this." She knew Daryl had no way of understanding what it felt like to watch the bodies pile up...all trying to protect her. Instead of making her feel special...she felt small, and pathetic, and weak. And she hated it.

Daryl groaned and rolled to his side to Eris' disappointment. She crawled on top of him…desperately trying to figure out how to make things right between them. She straddled him, then leaned down and softly kissed him. She didn't know if Daryl was too furious or too deep in thought to respond.

"Daryl…I have to go with you. I know you can't understand why I need to do this. But neither of one of us knows what's going to happen from day to day, so can we make right now count," she leaned down and slipped her tongue between his lips as her hair tumbled down in a veil around her.

"Fuck," he groaned as he resigned himself yet again to his inability to deny her anything. He gripped her hips and pulled them down to grind against him.

"I was hoping you'd say that," she whispered softly in his ear, then took a playful nibble. She was rewarded with a frustrated growl. She wriggled her hips as he yanked her jeans down while doing his best to assist her as she unbuttoned his pants and slid them down.

Neither of them had the patience to get completely naked. Instead, with his jeans only partial way down, she eagerly positioned herself over his erection, staring into his, now stormy blue eyes. She could drown in those eyes if she stared long enough. She was fascinated at how they could turn from their normal bright crystal blue to this dark, stormy cerulean.

She loved the way he gripped her hips and placed her right above his erection. She had never experienced anything so erotic…so exciting. While she stared directly into his eyes, she dropped herself onto him….inch by excruciating inch.

For a moment she stayed there…..straddled and impaled on top of him…staring into his eyes as she felt him so deep inside her. It was the most amazing, intense experience of her life…to be the one in control while he filled her completely. She watched his face as she slowly lifted her hips up and felt him pull out of her….and then, just when he was almost out …she lowered her hips to take him in again.

She placed her hands on either side of his shoulders to get some leverage. When she did that, he was able to reach up and to suck fiercely on her nipples, nipping them lightly with his teeth. She threw he head back as she experienced the intense zings of pleasure that pulsed through her that these explosions of sensation were causing. Daryl couldn't control himself any longer and grabbed her hips with both hands to intensify and control the rhythm. She rubbed herself against him with every thrust…the whole while looking directly into his eyes. She loved the way he took hold of her… controlling the pace…forcing her to go faster; letting her know how much he craved her. It was the most intoxicating thing she'd ever experienced.

She couldn't hold back any longer. She threw her head back and ground herself against him with complete abandon as she felt the waves of ecstasy take over. That was all he needed to reach his own climax. He emptied himself into her with every thrust as she leaned down, moaning her pleasure when he pulled her mouth down so he could kiss her while she came….loving the feel of her quivering and pulsating around him while he had his tongue in her mouth. She was his. In this godforsaken hell-hole, he had found her…and she was his. He would not lose her.

"Eris, promise me." Daryl stared at her until he was sure he had her complete attention. When he was completely satisfied, he continued. "You stay behind me and if it ever looks like things are going to shit, you run the hell away and get back to the car."

"I promise," she reached her arms around his neck and kissed him, still glowing from their afternoon discussion on the matter. "I've followed orders my entire life that are 'for my own good'. I'm pretty good at it by now.….." Eris' response wasn't snarky or sarcastic….it was more a reply of resignation. Daryl stared at her, having no idea what it must have been like to have bodyguards 24 hours a day, day and night. He had an idea she had a pampered upbringing, but as he remembered all the glorious hours he spent in the woods, with complete and utter freedom; he actually felt bad for her. He couldn't imagine having other people constantly keeping watch of him. He became claustrophobic just thinking about it.

"Come on," she pulled Daryl by the hand. "Let's go." She leaned over to kiss his cheek and then whispered in his ear, "I love you!" She then breathed into his ear and nibbled that sensitive spot she had come to learn was something that drove him nuts.

"Gerl…you best stop that right now!" he growled at her. But when she only laughed, he jerked her tight. "Ya be careful and pay attention, ok?" this time Daryl's voice was dead serious and full of fear and concern. "If I say jump, you jump!"

"I promise!" she assured him with complete sincerity, frowning as she tried to adjust to this swift change in intensity. That seemed to calm him, and he wrapped an arm around her to pull her into the vehicle and wait for Rick. They both watched the tension between Lori and Rick as they said goodbye.

Rick decided it best to leave T-Dogg and Glenn behind to cover the camp and help keep it safe. But it was obvious, Lori wasn't happy that Rick was leaving yet again to go rescue someone else. Leaving her here alone and pregnant to take care of Carl by herself. Eris didn't often sympathize with Lori…but today she did.

"Rick?" Eris knew she had to say something. "Your wife is pregnant. She needs you here! Maybe you can send someone else?" she had to say it. If anything happened to Rick, she was fairly sure Lori would never forgive her and she wasn't sure she would be able to forgive herself. And, if she was the one who was pregnant she wouldn't take it lightly if Daryl always was the one to go. 'Oh shit', she thought, 'we didn't use any protection.'

"Eris, I'm responsible for getting Andrea back." Rick said with authority.

"No, Rick. You are responsible for taking care of Lori and Carl and your baby… The rest of us are responsible for ourselves." She replied calmly….saying what everyone else had been thinking but wouldn't say to Rick's face.

Daryl stared at her…not quite believing she had directly challenged their de facto leader especially after Rick's rant the other night….the new Rictatorship. To his surprise she held her ground staring directly at Rick. He watched as Rick absorbed and processed her words.

To his amazement, Rick bowed his head then nodded to Eris and got out of the vehicle. They both sat there watching as Rick walked over to talk to T-Dogg and Glenn. After a couple of minutes, T-Dogg walked over and joined them. As they drove away, Eris met Lori's confused eyes. Then to her amazement Lori gave her a slight smile and wave.

"The helicopter went down here," Eris pointed out. She lead them through the woods along the path she and Andrea and Michonne had followed. She was even more sure when they found the two decomposing walkers with nothing but metal chains around their necks.

Daryl grabbed her hand and pulled her along as they approached the helicopter. T-Dogg covered them, not unlike the way she had been supposed to cover Andrea and Michonne. Eris tried not to think about how badly that turned out.

She and Daryl reached the wreckage and found two corpses still in the helicopter each with a bullet hole in their head. Daryl kept his crossbow aimed while Eris climbed into the hull of the broken helicopter.

She looked all over for anything that might give them a clue to where the helicopter had originated. But after 10 minutes she still found nothing…no flight plan, no paperwork. She hadn't really expected to find a flight plan but she figured there would be something to give them an indication of where they were from.

She forced herself to climb into the rear where the corpses were. She looked over at Daryl, who could read her look of complete disappointment. He knew she hadn't found anything useful yet.

He motioned for her to get out. She was just about to comply, when she raised a hand up to motion for him to wait. He watched as she forced herself to take a deep breath, then she examined each of the corpses….reaching her hand into their pockets and jackets. She pulled a small spiral notebook out of the pocket of one of the corpses, and some scraps of paper and a beat up wallet from the other. She frowned at the absurdity of carrying a wallet now, but began to choke up when she opened it to see pictures of children at various ages as well as a family photo. The ratty wallet was crammed full of these. Some unknown instinct led her to reach around each of their necks to check for dogtags. She gently pulled two necklaces off.

They walked back to the small Hyundai they'd hidden off the side of the road. Eris joined Daryl and T-Dogg who seemed to be disagreeing on what to do next.

"They went that way," Eris told them…expecting that to make a difference.

What she hadn't expected were the pitying looks from not only T-Dogg but Daryl.

"Daryl? T-Dogg? We are going?" She stared at each of them.

"If it was either of you….you know we would come after you?" Eris insisted, which only earned snorts from not only Daryl but also T-Dogg. The two men bonded in their outsiderness.

"Gerl, you are so naïve," T-Dogg was the one who spoke first. "Why the hell do you think they sent me with you two idiots?" Eris stared at him, not quite understanding. But Daryl understood completely, so he held his arm around Eris to comfort her.

"What are you talking about T?" she questioned, not understanding.

"Eris….you have a good heart, sweetie. I'd hug ya, if I was sure yer pitbull there wouldn't kill me." T-Dogg said wryly while simultaneously referring to Daryl.

"Why do you think, after you called Rick on the carpet, that they sent me?" Dogg asked. "I'm expendable….ain't gonna be no crying and wailing family back at camp if I don't return," T-Dogg spelled it out.

"In fact the only person they'd truly regret losing is you…..maybe Daryl here cause he can feed 'em," T-Dogg explained. "But probably not that much."

Eris couldn't believe that the others had actually thought it through to this morbid point. She frowned as all the ramifications tumbled through her genious brain. Sometimes her brain was an asset as she evaluated complicated equations and problems, but in these much more complicated ethical and sociological situations….she felt at a complete loss.

"I would cry for you!" Eris said quietly, as tears pooled in her eyes letting T-Dogg know she meant every word. T-Dogg gave her a smile, but one that made her think he didn't quite believe. But he still hugged her back when she walked forward to hug him.

To her surprise…and relief, it was Daryl that came to the rescue of this maudlin situation.

"Ain't no one gonna die today, ya'll hear!" Daryl insisted to the both of them.

"Sounds good to me redneck," T-Dogg smiled and they all tried not to think about the conversation they'd just had as they piled into the Hyundai and drove, looking for signs of anyplace that might be a likely place for 20-30 men to hole up.

Eris looked at the map in front of her. She longed for the GPS and satellite mapping systems that she had come to rely on. She jokingly asked herself, what would Newton and Galileo do? 'OK, think…if you were in the position to take down helicopter pilots…and it appeared they tracked them…where would you likely be?' she asked herself out loud.

"I have to wonder, 'how did they find the downed helicopter so fast?' " she wondered aloud. "And why did the helicopter go down in the first place?" Eris asked. "It seemed to be operating fine….even though it seemed to be flying low….then down it went. All of a sudden."

"Does it matter?" Daryl asked. "The 'copter's still down?"

"That's not the point," Eris tried to explain…apparently earning T-Dogg's respect as he started putting it all together.

"Dude" Dogg explained. "She's right. It was just an accident that Eris and Andrea happened to be standing right there and saw it, but how the hell did those armed men know the 'copter was there and how did they get there at the same time?"

"They either had to just happen to be setting up camp nearby when they too saw it go down…just like Eris and Andrea." Daryl began to talk it through.

"Does that make any sense? 20-30 well armed men just standing around waiting for something to happen?" T-Dogg answered.

"Well they got there at about the same time, so if they're holed up somewhere nearby, we need to check the perimeter. We need to drive around this entire area," Daryl pointed to the map, pointing out a route that was closest to a circle surrounding the crash site.

"And if we don't find them?" T-Dogg forced them to consider the other alternative.

"If it wasn't just a circumstance that they saw it at the same time we did, then this is not the work of hacks," Eris revealed. "They have to have some type of electronic surveillance capabilities. And they had to be responsible for bringing down that helicopter. And we didn't hear any shots fired."

"But," Eris continued as she recalled everything…moment by moment…image by image. "It was flying incredibly low when it came over those trees….and they seemed to be going slow…as if they were looking for something." She absentmindedly bit her thumbnail while she remembered.

"Let's go find these assholes and get Andrea and the new girl back," T-Dogg opened the door and got in the car. Daryl and Eris joined him as they drove the perimeter route looking for any signs of a large group.

"Nothing?" Eris looked to Daryl as he stepped out of the woods, assuming his answer would be the same as the last dozen times. They had been driving for hours, periodically stopping to get out and look around for some sign or indication that Andrea had been there.

"They were here," he explained and he saw Eris' eyes light. Even T-Dogg broke a smile. "But they didn't make camp here. It looks like they were in an' out. There's still some evidence of multiple sets of heavy duty tire tracks."

"Which means they probably took the helicopter down," T-Dogg assessed, though somewhat despondent as this meant the level of difficulty in getting Andrea back likely went up exponentially.

"Well, they are still probably somewhere nearby right? Can't we pin down a couple of routes they might have taken?" she asked while T-Dogg pulled the map back out.

"I think we outta head this way." Daryl pointed. They all looked and agreed it appeared to be the most logical choice…the most obvious route.

"If they have surveillance than they're gonna see us coming long before we see them," T-Dogg pointed out.

That got Daryl's attention. How would they sneak up on people who had the ability to track and possibly take down aircraft. As if Eris could read his concerns, she sidled up to him and placed her hand against his back.

"Just because they have surveillance, doesn't mean it's impossible to jam and get around," she could tell neither of them knew what she was talking about.

"Gerl?" he growled. She loved the way he called her "girl" with that Georgia accent of his. He thought he sounded fierce but all it did was turn her on.

"If they are relying on detection equipment rather than eyes on the ground, then we might even have a better chance of sneaking up on them?"

"We just have to jam their equipment," she explained as if it was no more difficult that preparing breakfast.

"Oh yeah, right," T-Dogg replied sarcastically. "Eris, we don't have anything like that." Daryl agreed with T-Dogg. They would have to find a different way. Do it old school and try and sneak in under the radar.

"I was thinking maybe we could make a jamming device," she explained while Daryl and T-Dogg nodded like they had a clue what she was talking about. "But we'd need to backtrack and get to an electronics store."

Daryl thought it through. If they did that, they'd probably have to go back to camp for the night so Eris could assemble this contraption…but if they didn't try this, they would probably be heading into an even more dangerous situation. Even worse, they likely wouldn't realize it until too late.

"You really think you can do this?" Daryl asked disbelievingly. But Eris nodded as if this was something she did on the regular. "Then let's try it," Daryl agreed and Eris prayed they could find the necessary equipment.

They drove back to the strip mall they'd hit the day before…this time entering the previously neglected Radio Shack. The store was still untouched. Stocking up on electronics had apparently been a low priority for everyone.

"So what are we looking for?" T-Dogg asked as he covered the rear entrance and Daryl covered the front.

"The first thing is to hope they have a frequency synthesizer in stock," Eris looked up and down the shelves and shelves of equipment and parts while T-Dogg and Daryl realized they had no idea of what she was talking about. She heaved a sigh of relief when she found the Motorola MC145151. She took all four that were on the shelf. She then grabbed some RF amplifiers and the dielectric filters she needed. She finished up by throwing in extra wiring, various battery sizes and a small tool kit.

"Ya sure ya got everything," Daryl yelled, his anxiety showing.

"Let's go," she ran toward him and they all ran out the door.

Eris was sitting at the table in the RV assembling the fourth homemade jamming unit, praying that they would work against whatever these guys were using. She felt confident these units would be able to jam multiple frequencies, but if it were a more obscure one, it might not. She wouldn't really know until they tried it….either way people would likely die. She prayed it wouldn't be Daryl and T-Dogg.

"Is that you Daryl?" she called as she heard the door open and shut, to engrossed in her task to look up.

"It's me, Lori," Eris raised her stunned eyes as she saw Lori walk in. Immediately Eris began to tense up, preparing for the next confrontation.

She watched as Lori approached silently and then sat across from her at the dinette where she was working.

...

I know, it's an odd place to end this, but didn't want to get going on the adventure to get Andrea and Michonne back or this chapter would be 30,000 words.

Thanks again to you all for your kind input. You are the best and most supportive readers out there.