ANDREA
It was incredible that in a town where everyone knew everyone and everyone knew where everyone was ninety percent of the time, she couldn't find any of the people who might be able to explain what had happened at the wall. She asked around for Merle, Milton, Tate, Guerrero, and Erica, but no one could tell her where any of them were. Deciding that she would start checking their individual rooms, she was halfway through the doorway into Milton's apartment complex when she collided with the Governor.
"Careful," he told her as he grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling over. "Where you goin' in such a hurry?"
"I'm looking for someone to tell me what happened at the wall. I was helping Mr. Sandino reorganize one of the pantry shelves and heard gunshots, but by the time I could get away, there was nothing left to see. What happened?"
The Governor watched her carefully for a few moments and Andrea was uncomfortably aware of his eyes raking the front of her shirt. He motioned for her to follow him up the street and into the back alley between the overgrown wall of foliage and the lab. Though her excitement was building now that she was finally being given access to what Merle had called the "Inner Circle Quarters", she couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding at what was about to happen.
In the lab, Merle, Guerrero, Wes, Tate, and Fletcher (who she'd only just recently been introduced to) were gathered around an armchair where another man sat looking like he was about to puke up his intestines. His face had gone the decaying grey color of a freshly-dead corpse and for a moment, Andrea thought he actually was dead, but then she saw his chest rise and fall as he coughed up blood. Then, he erupted into a fit of coughing so that his body convulsed and the soldiers standing around him all went for their weapons instead of stepping in closer to see if the man was okay.
The man held up a hand to signify that he would be alright and then slumped back into the armchair, closing his eyes in pain. The Governor bent over and put his hand on the man's head.
"Hey, Lance," he said kindly. "I guess it's nearly time, huh?"
"Nearly," said Lance with a brave attempt at a smile.
"We'll make sure your family's taken care of," the Governor promised. "You gave your life workin' for us; we'll give our lives to protect your family."
"CJ's family…"
"Them as well. We're all family here, Lance. We never leave the families've the fallen out in the cold."
The lab door opened and Milton ambled in, hurrying over to the group gathered around Lance. His hair was damp, but he had still attempted to style it like he normally did.
"I thought you were done for the day," said the Governor.
"It's my duty to record this for the town's records as well as to offer whatever support I can. And—I feel responsible for what happened—"
"No," said Lance. "You did good, Milton. You…were there…when no one else…"
"What happened?" asked Andrea softly as she watched Lance's labored breathing.
"We had a team out on a run," Guerrero explained. "They were due back a few days ago. Lance here and one've our best men, CJ, were swamped by biters at the gate and no one was on the wall to provide cover fire for them, so Lance was bit and CJ was beyond help by the time we got to 'em."
"Whoever the son of a bitch is who was supposed to be on duty is gonna find my boot so far up his ass—" began Fletcher, but the Governor cut him off.
"He'll face his punishment in due time. I didn't keep schedules've who's on guard all the time because I trusted that my men—and women—could handle it like adults, but I see now that that was a mistake on my part and it cost two good men their lives. I'm drawin' up a schedule tonight and it's gonna be followed at all times unless otherwise approved by me. Any changes in shifts needta pass through me first. We're not gonna ever let another one've our own die because've somethin' like this."
"I don't think it was an accident," said Milton. "I think it was premeditated."
Milton's bold statement was met with silence and looks of shock from the others, including Andrea who couldn't believe that anyone in Woodbury—except perhaps Crowley, Benson, and Kendall—would willingly stage a walker attack on CJ, Lance, and their team and ensure that no one was on wall duty so that all of them would end up dead. Even if there was a grudge held against one of those men, the likelihood that this accident had been planned was too ridiculous to even consider.
"I'm not saying that the guard missing in action put careful planning into all of this. I just think that whoever was on duty saw CJ and Lance and chose not to go to their aid. The guard ran and hid so that he couldn't be held accountable."
"Or whoever was on duty was trying to prove a sick point by suggesting that Woodbury isn't as safe as it should be with biters getting in and having our men open to attack," said Fletcher. "Maybe this guy's sending a message to the Governor that the town's slipping."
"The safety of our people is the only thing I care about and I'll shoot any man down in cold blood for suggestin' otherwise," said the Governor and Andrea saw the stirrings of something not quite human behind his eyes. The maddened look on his face was that of someone who was fighting to not come unhinged. "Now, call me crazy, but after havin' biters break into Woodbury and then havin' the wall guard be absent while two've our own were attacked at the gate, I'm startin' t'think we've got a traitor in our midst. Somebody in this town's either tryin' t'get certain people killed, or they're just a sick-minded fuck, but I aim t'find out and make that bastard pay. The way I see it, though, he won't make any more moves while I'm here because he knows I'm the law. So I won't be here. Lance's team was supposed t'bring back a fair haul've supplies, but since we don't have those supplies, somebody's gotta go out and get 'em if we wanna keep Woodbury runnin' like it has been with biters bein' the only thing people panic about. I'm goin' with Kendall, Shumpert, and Tim on a run and we'll be gone for a few days t'recover what Lance's team couldn't get. In the meantime, this shithead's gonna try somethin' and I expect Woodbury's army t'be ready for him when he does."
"Leaving Woodbury at a time like this, do you really think that's a good idea?" asked Milton. "What if we drastically miscalculate this person's next move and someone else ends up dead? You're leaving us in a vulnerable state—"
"I know that, and God knows I don't wanna, but whoever's behind this knows that I'm onto him by now and he won't try anythin' if I'm around. That's why I'm leavin', and Woodbury'll be co-governed by you'n Merle, Milton."
Andrea, Guerrero, Fletcher, Wes, and Tate exchanged looks with each other that suggested that they didn't know whether to laugh, scoff, or violently protest the Governor's ruling. Asking Merle and Milton to cooperate in running Woodbury was like asking a lion to lie down next to its prey and suggesting that the lion not eat the prey.
"I know what I'm askin'," said the Governor as he read their faces. "And I know the two've you won't let me down. Merle runs the army and Milton keeps things in order. I trust y'all t'do your part in helpin' keep this place runnin' while I'm gone. But when our suspect rears his ugly head, I give you permission t'deal with 'im however you deem appropriate. He'll make a move and I'm countin' on all've you t'protect our people. That means keepin' mum about this so as not to let the bastard know that we're onto 'im."
"Martinez for Governor, come in Governor."
"What now?" asked the Governor irritably, holding the walkie-talkie up to his mouth. "Go for the Governor, what's wrong?"
"Crowley's making a scene," came the voice of Martinez. "Erica was on her way back from checking on Janine and Crowley started harassing her."
"That's it," said Guerrero, slamming his fist on the table and stomping off toward the door. "I'll teach the fucker to put his hands on my girl—"
"Guerrero, don't," called Fletcher, but Guerrero had already gone.
"I'd hoped we couldda taken care've this in private, but if Crowley's gonna act out when I gave him orders to stay civil, so be it. Merle, Fletcher, Wes, come with me; we're locking this dipshit up. Tate, you'n Andrea keep an eye on Lance. If he turns, you know what to do."
Tate nodded solemnly and took out his pistol, but he seemed reluctant to use it. He probably had never had to put anyone down before and wasn't eager to start.
"You should go help," Andrea told him. "I've got it here."
Tate raised his eyebrows at her.
"I've got it," she repeated. "I've done it before."
With a grateful nod, Tate rushed out after the others, leaving Andrea and Milton to stand sentry for Lance's deteriorating body.
"Thank you," said Lance with his eyes closed. "Tate's a good guy…never had to end it…wasn't ready."
"He'll have to sometime, but not tonight, and not for a friend," said Andrea. She turned to Milton who was nervously pressing down on his damp hair as it started to frizz in the humidity.
"You talked to him, didn't you? About Crowley, asking that he be put away for what he did?"
"I demanded, actually," said Milton. "I wanted something to be done about it, especially after today. We can't have two unpredictable men walking around freely inside the walls, so taking Crowley out of the picture helps to narrow down the stress, however small of a saving grace that may be."
"Thank you," said Andrea, both surprised and touched that Milton had stepped out of his comfort zone to insist that the Governor do something about Crowley. She heard shouts from outside and turned back toward the door.
"I just didn't expect that my suggestion would be considered this time with how Phillip's fought me on it. Now all we need to worry about is when and if this rogue shows his face and how Merle and I are going to deal with him if he does because putting the two of us in a situation where we need to act as equals with shared responsibilities is just asking for—shit!"
Andrea saw Lance lunge for Milton out of the corner of her eye and it surely would have taken off Milton's nose if a bullet hadn't passed through its skull at that precise moment. The projectile had come from the doorway and Andrea saw Merle standing there, lowering his pistol and shaking his head.
"Dumbass," he said.
Milton had attempted to retreat when Lance came at him, but ran out of space to flee so that back of his thighs were pressed into the edge of the table behind him. Lance's blood had splattered across his face, neck, and shirt before the body crumpled.
"Goddammit, Merle!" Milton shouted. "I just finished getting all of that earlier blood off of me!"
Wes and Tate returned first, clearly drawn back by the sound of the gunshot. They saw Lance's body at Milton's feet and Tate signed something to Wes that made his twin frown.
"Could've been your blood thatchoo're covered in, y'ungrateful bucket've cat piss," Merle retorted. "I won't bother next time."
Though he sounded enraged when he spoke to Merle, Milton had quickly retreated into himself and Andrea could see the panic coming. Milton's hands were trembling at his side, flexing to try and contain himself, but to no avail. His shoulders tensed and his lower lip quavered. Maybe it was the prospect of having a friend's blood all over him, or maybe it was a delayed reaction to nearly getting his face ripped off, but Andrea knew he was about to have a meltdown.
"Go clean that off," said Andrea. "Tate, maybe you can help him?"
Nodding to show that he understood her subtle message, Tate ushered Milton out and as soon as they had gone, Merle started cleaning up the blood on the floor with a wad of paper towels from the table. Andrea pulled out another wad and helped him, careful to avoid stepping or kneeling in any of the blood.
"Good job keepin' an eye on Lance," said Merle.
"Whatever was going on outside didn't help," said Andrea defensively.
"If you're the one babysittin' Milton, y'can't let nothin' distract ya. He's a useless pile've horseshit—"
"He's inexperienced," said the Governor, reappearing with Guerrero and Fletcher, the latter of whom had a firm grip on the former's arm to keep him from running back outside. "I've discussed his ineptitude with weapons and biters with him and we agreed that it'd be best for him t'start trainin' with you. His first shift's with you, and I know you're on tonight 'cause you told me earlier. Milton's gotta learn and the sooner he gets the hang've it, the sooner I expect you t'treat 'im like a fellow soldier and not an inferior, which he's not. While I'm gone, you keep a civil manner 'round 'im, is that understood?"
Merle stopped scrubbing at the blood and looked up at the Governor who towered far above him. The Governor was already a good five inches taller than Merle, but as Merle knelt, he looked belittled to the height of a child under the menacing glare of a parent. Andrea recalled her talk with Merle about the marks she guessed were on his back, about the marks in his heart that his father had left. Merle hated being talked down to and hated being in a position that left him with little to no power. As a result, he said nothing, holding the Governor's gaze.
Fearing that his inaction might make the Governor's already boiling temper spill over, Andrea nudged Merle with her knee as she continued wiping at the blood.
"Understood, Governor," said Merle, though it sounded to Andrea like he said it through clenched teeth.
"Good," said the Governor. "Andrea, I trust you've gotten your fill've some've the more unpleasant things we gotta do 'round here sometimes. If you can handle that and not go yappin' about what happened, you'll be welcome back here anytime. For now, though, lemme finish up for you and you go on back to your room."
The Governor took a fresh roll of paper towels to help Merle finish mopping up Lance's blood while Guerrero, Fletcher, and Wes started carrying Lance's body to a gurney at the back of the lab. Andrea tried not to look like she was in a hurry as she shuffled out and ran to Milton's apartment. She was halfway up the stairs to his room when she saw Tate on his way down.
"Is he okay?" she asked.
Tate scribbled at his whiteboard and held up the words: Threw up in the toilet for a bit. Told me he'd be fine, but sounded odd. Might want to check on him.
"That's what I'm going to do right now," Andrea assured Tate. "Thank you for being so helpful lately. I really do appreciate it."
Tate wiped his whiteboard clear and then wrote: I live in apartment right under you, come knock if need me. Always happy to help friends.
Andrea squeezed his hand in gratitude and then hurried up the rest of the stairs, rounding the corner and knocking on Milton's door twice before letting herself in.
"Andrea, I'm not fully dressed—"
She saw Milton use the towel to cover his upper body as a red tint began to grow at the base of his neck, creeping upward to rest on his cheeks.
"Milton, you don't have boobs; you don't have to cover up," said Andrea, trying not to smile. "And you're blushing."
"No, I'm not," said Milton indignantly, shifting the towel to hide his face.
"Yes, you are, and you're also still covered in blood. You missed a whole bunch of spots."
"Damn," said Milton quietly, turning to the mirror over his bedside table to examine his face. With his back exposed, Andrea could see that there was a bruise forming between his shoulder blades and more blood behind his ears.
"How the hell did you get blood behind your ears?" she asked him incredulously.
"Oh, that was from earlier," said Milton, whirling back around so that Andrea couldn't see his back anymore.
"What happened earlier?"
"I fell," said Milton dismissively.
"You fell," Andrea repeated.
"Off the wall."
"What were you doing on the wall?"
"What the wall guard should have been doing," said Milton, and his face fell. "I ran up to try and help when I realized the guard was gone, but by a turn of unlucky events, I fell and got biter blood on me. And I thought I'd gotten it all…"
"Let me help you," Andrea offered, going to his water closet and running a face towel under the water for a moment.
"No, no, that's okay, I can get it."
"If you didn't get it the first time, you won't be able to this time because you can't see what you're doing. Let me help." She approached Milton with the towel.
"No, really, I can handle it—"
"Bullshit. I asked you before to not insult my intelligence. You're terrified of needles and blood and don't say you're not because I could see it on your face in the lab. If Tate hadn't gotten you out when he did, you would have screamed and he told me that he was concerned you might hurt yourself trying to get the blood off which you clearly didn't do, so you're going to sit down and let me help you because I don't need to hear about you having a nervous breakdown in the morning."
"It's a logical fear and I manage—"
Andrea snapped at Milton's bed. "Sit," she said firmly. "You helped me by getting the Governor to finally do something about Crowley, so let me help you."
Milton sank down onto the edge of his bed and perched there with his towel still draped around him. Andrea went over to the opposite side, crawled across to him on her knees, and started wiping the spare blood splatters with the towel. When she stuck a corner of the towel behind Milton's ear to get the blood lodged there, Milton flinched, bringing the side of his head to his shoulder. Moments later, gooseflesh erupted across his back and Andrea had to suppress a smile.
"I see someone's ticklish," she teased.
"It's a very sensitive place on the body," said Milton. "It's susceptible to the tiniest touch—"
"Yeah, and you're ticklish."
As Andrea searched out all of the spots Milton had missed, she saw a rather peculiar indent in Milton's back where one of his vertebrae should have been, but instead of poking outward with bone, his skin dipped in, tightened by what looked like a scar.
"Are you missing a bone in your vertebrae?"
"No, but I did have back surgery when I was younger. For what, I don't know. My parents never explained it to me."
"You had a lot of things wrong with you, didn't you?"
"It seems I still do," sighed Milton. "I can't wield a weapon for shit, I can't protect the people here, I can't even protect myself against a threat I should have known was coming. My only defense is words, and sometimes even those fail me."
"The Governor said that the two of you agreed that you'd start training with the army," said Andrea, moving off of the bed so that Milton could replace his shirt.
"Phillip agreed with himself. I was lassoed in, more or less."
"But you said yourself that you don't have the experience. Being in the army can give you that experience—"
"Me training to kill things with Merle's help," said Milton skeptically. "Now there's a match made in heaven."
"You couldn't ask for a more knowledgeable instructor," said Andrea. "I'm not saying he's a good teacher because he's not, but he does know what he's doing and he knows the best way to do it. Learn what you can from him and I'll teach you the rest."
Milton fixed his glasses from where they had fallen crookedly down his nose after he pulled his shirt back on. "I couldn't ask you to do that."
"What else am I going to do? It's not like I have a job I have to report to or risk being fired from. The Governor will be happy to know that I'm helping you. And if you're going to be training under Merle, you'll need some constructive criticism. Just promise me that you'll do your best and not let anything he says get to you and I'll do the rest."
There came a knock on the door and Andrea heard Merle call, "Miltie, y'better get that ass out here if y'wanna learn t'hold a gun without shootin' your foot off."
Milton scratched at the back of his neck, but nodded and said quietly so that Merle wouldn't hear through the door, "I'll do my best. Go hide in the water closet until Merle and I leave so that he won't have any sexually deprecating remarks to give you."
Andrea knew she was pushing her boundaries with Milton, especially with how uncomfortable he was being shirtless around her, but she didn't care. She planted a kiss on his cheek and then went to wait in the water closet, deciding it was best to not look back at him.
