Righteous Kills
Daryl had been the first one over the fence into De Novo. He knew every inch of the place and he was the leader of this small band of brothers. Jesse had climbed the fence with the grace of a cat and Merle lumbered over last. De Novo was too quiet, normally at this early hour you would expect the houses to be showing off their electricity with lights and sound. Instead, most houses were dark and he suspected that the inhabitants were huddled together waiting for the morning light.
Daryl checked his house first. No sign of Carol and Sophia. The stored run bags were gone and house seemed abandoned and lonely. Rick's truck was gone and there was no sign of anyone there.
The trio moved on toward Glenn's house. Daryl felt the hair raise up on the back of his neck and he took out his hunting knife and wasn't surprised to find that Jesse and Merle had a knife out already. His family wasn't here and one part of him wanted to go back over the fence, back down that steep hill and on to the mountains where Carol must have taken them. The other part knew that this had to be done.
Jesse put a hand on his shoulder and motioned to a tree. There was a man standing in the shadows looking toward Glenn's house where a lamp was burning. Stupid fucker didn't know that looking at a light blinded you at night. Jesse nodded and slipped toward the shadowy figure.
Merle moved toward Otis and Patricia's house and Daryl went around the back of Glenn and Maggie's house to see if there was another guard. All the houses had a small back porch and he recognized Roger Allen. Roger was a mean asshole who lived in one of the bachelor houses because no woman in De Novo would give him a second look. Roger was distracted right now because he was peeping through the screen door.
Daryl gave a short prayer to a deity that he had no confidence in and knew that for the first time in his long life as a hunter his prey was human. He moved quickly and Roger cupped his hands around his eyes to get a better view. The porch step creaked a little as he stepped on it and Roger stepped back from the screen door but by then Daryl was reaching around him with the knife to make a short quick slide of the razor sharp blade through the side of his neck.
Roger's life blood spurted out and Daryl dragged him into the shadows. Roger was already dead but he hadn't quite got the memo and Daryl waited until his prey was completely still. Daryl stabbed him through the eye. Then, he moved to the screen door and saw that Maggie and her sister were gagged and tied to kitchen chairs.
The screen door squeaked as he opened the door and Maggie looked up at him. Daryl used his still bloody knife to cut through her bonds and untied the gag and then did the same for Beth. He got them a glass of water and they shared it.
"Glenn and Morgan are being held prisoner. Daddy is in the infirmary with Morgan's wife. It's her heart. Give me a gun and I'll go with you." Maggie's eyes were determined and Daryl considered adding her to the team.
"No, you take Beth and hide under my front porch. I have Merle and Jesse with me. We're not using guns tonight, but you probably have one hidden back someplace. Get that and some knives. Go on now and get Patricia." His voice was firm. Maggie could fight but her little sister was high strung. Might get hysterical and give them all away. He and Carol had built a cellar on one side of the area under the front steps and the other was a storage area.
Maggie nodded reluctantly, "Roger told me that Philip was going to send someone to escort me to him at Major's Nelson's quarters after a while."
"He won't be alive that much longer. What else do you know?"
"Philip has ordered everyone to stay in their houses until morning. He had Glenn and Morgan arrested. His people are at the gates waiting for you to come up the hill. Roger bragged about how many people were on their sides." Maggie's list didn't contain any surprises.
Merle was at the front door with Patricia. Maggie went upstairs and came back with a backpack and Beth followed her out.
Otis and Billy were waiting outside with Jesse. Maggie had her sister's hand and the three women disappeared into darkness. Daryl closed his eyes to help his eyes adjust to the darkness. "We need to get to the jail to get Glenn and Morgan. There are men at Mary's house, Roger Allen's house and at the gates. They all have to die tonight."
"Let's play our get out of jail card first. Sounds like we're going to need those guys." Merle was calm as could be.
"Otis, you and Billy go toward Mary's house. Get behind a tree and just watch it. Have your rifles ready. They hear something and they're going to pour out. We need you to keep them there. Roger lives next door. He ain't coming back. Merle, you better go with them." Daryl was surprised that he sounded so calm. Merle could out shoot him any day with a rifle.
Merle hit his shoulder hard, "You be fucking careful now." Daryl gave him a hard shove backward. "Watch your worthless ass out there." Their declarations of love over the Dixon brothers nodded their goodbyes.
Maggie was back, "Patricia has Beth. I'm going."
"We ain't taking no prisoners. You know what I am saying?" Daryl knew they needed to get moving.
Maggie nodded, "I'm not like Daddy. I get it." She had a machete and a pistol in a holster on her belt.
Merle followed Otis and Billy into the darkness and the other three headed toward the Administration building. There was a lone guard at the entrance and they could see lights all through the building. Major Nelson's quarters were on the second floor. The infirmary had its own entrance off to the side and the jail section was only accessible by going through the middle door. "Maggie, go to the infirmary. There will be a guard. You need to kill him and find out what is going on."
She looked mutinous but nodded, "Roger said that Mary and Gareth were watching Glenn and Morgan. Carol and Andrea left yesterday morning with Rick and the kids including Duane. Alex and a couple of his buddies followed them. Somebody killed Alex and the others. Gareth and Mary are itching to get even. Be careful."
She checked her weapons and said, "I'm going around the building. Bring him back, please." She hugged Daryl suddenly. "You're a good man, Daryl Dixon." She started around the side of the building and didn't look back.
There were several vehicles parked in front and Jesse moved behind them edging his way toward the middle. Daryl recognized the guard as Pete. Carol had told Rick that he was abusing his wife and Pete had been moved out of his house. It was quiet here too and the sudden sound of a dry stick being stepped caught Pete's attention. He moved toward the vehicles with his rifle on full alert and Daryl waited until Pete was hidden behind a truck to move. He had the crossbow out and ready and he hustled down the walkway to get behind Pete. Daryl sent the bolt into Pete into the middle of his upper back. Pete gave a guttural cry and Jesse finished him off with a knife thrust through his temple. He brought the bolt back to Daryl.
There was a window on the side and Daryl stood off to the side to scope out the hallway that led back toward the jail area. He took a deep breath and led it out slowly. He couldn't see anyone. Major Nelson's office was down a corridor to the left of the main hallway. Philip might be there, but freeing Glenn and Morgan had to come first.
The door opened easily and quietly and the two of them were inside. Jesse held up his hand stopping their motion. His friend stared down the hallway. Daryl heard it then. Someone was shifting in a chair. Not all the way down toward the cells, but closer. In one of the offices close to them.
They started again. The office door must be slightly ajar so that they could see what was going on. Daryl was on the left and Jesse on the right. The first set of doors was tightly shut. They moved on and Daryl was glad that he was with Jesse. The man walked with seeming to touch the floor. The next set of doors were coming up and Daryl could see the door on Jesse's side was open slightly. He touched Jesse's shoulder pointing toward the door. Jesse shook his head and pointed to the door on Daryl's side.
Daryl figured that there were two guards on either side or the soldiers were getting sloppy about shutting doors. Jesse raised his knife and Daryl copied his move. They edged on stopping before they were completely at the doors. This needed to be quick and quiet. Jesse held up three fingers and Daryl waited until the last finger was down before he pushed the door open and found Gareth lounging in a comfortable chair. Daryl's knife found purchase in Gareth's chest and he made another quick stab to the man's eye socket. Daryl collected Gareth's weapons and found Jesse was waiting for him in the hallway and they proceeded toward the jail.
There was another guard back in the cell block but he was looking at a porn magazine. Daryl figured he got to die with a boner anyway. The keys to the cells were on the wall and Jesse let Glenn and Morgan out. Daryl handed them the weapons that they had taken from Gareth and whoever Jesse took out.
Glenn and Morgan were headed toward the infirmary. Jesse insisted on going after Philip by himself. Daryl didn't argue. Philip had brought about the death of a hundred people in that camp outside Savannah. Merle could use some help.
Daryl headed toward Mary's house. There were only two houses in De Novo that were brightly lit and noisy. He found Merle back in the shadows. There were men on the porch and standing around the yard. Getting drunk and celebrating their capture of De Novo.
Merle muttered. "Otis and Billy are back by that tree. The boy is scared shitless and Otis ain't no warrior. So how are we going to do this?"
"We pick them off as they wander our way. Gotta use a knife. Jesse is going after Philip. He'll be here when he gets finished. Glenn and Morgan are at the infirmary. Glenn and Maggie will help us. When they get here. We'll make our move." Daryl kept his voice low though he didn't think these drunk would notice if he yelled.
"I'll circle around and cover the back doors. Some of them will go that way." Merle gave him another hard hit to the shoulder and took off.
Glenn, Maggie, and Bob were soon there. Maggie whispering that Hershel had managed to save Ginny by using some medicine that he had at the house. Hershel and Morgan were guarding her now and Hershel thought that she would be fine. They moved to join Merle at the back.
Jesse joined him, "What about the guys at the gate? Maybe Otis and Billy can take care of them." He handed him a couple of rifles and some magazines, "I found these. We're going to need them."
Daryl slipped over to them to ask if they would move toward the gates and kill Martinez and Shumpert.
The partyers were starting to move around more. "We better hit them while we have them in one spot." Daryl didn't want to do this. He had enough blood on his hands now.
Jesse shifted his stance to look up at the stars, "I was in the army. Special unit. We did things that aren't legal in places that I couldn't find on a map now. We called them "righteous kills". We leave these guys alive and you'll regret it. They're just like a rattlesnake hiding in your house. You either kill it or it will eventually kill you."
Daryl looked over the rifles and picked one up, "Are you ready?"
Jesse took another look at the stars, "Gotta be." Jesse checked his rifle and put his hand on Daryl's shoulder. "Maggie was right. You are a good man. This is righteous."
Daryl nodded and aimed the rifle at the biggest man standing on the steps, "You are a righteous man, Jesse Graham." He shot the man in the head. Jesse's rifle echoed his.
They were able to take down four more men before the drunk men began to fire back. Daryl could hear rifle fire from the back and he knew that no one would escape out the back. He noticed that there was rifle fire from the other houses and that more and more shooters had entered the fray. It seemed that not all of the citizens of De Novo were sheep after all.
It was all over in a minute. Philip's army was dead never to rise again. Otis had been killed at the gates but not before Martinez and Shumpert were wounded. Billy finished the job. Merle had been shot in the shoulder and Hershel patched him up.
There was no rest for the weary that night. Daryl and Jesse stopped at every house telling everyone that Philip and his men were dead. He and Jesse watched the gates that night and the next morning they buried Philip and his men in a mass grave outside the walls of De Novo. Jesse had thrown a blue flag over Philip before they covered his body with dirt.
There was a town meeting at ten o'clock. Morgan was elected to be their new leader. Glenn would be in charge of runs and no one knew if Rick would be back. They wanted Daryl to stay with them but he knew that he didn't want to live in this place again. He didn't know how Carol would react. She was happy here.
Morgan filled their vehicle with gasoline. "Duane will be wanting to come home."
Daryl promised that Duane would be home in a day or two, "Rick will probably be better and ready to come back." It was past noon already and he wanted to find Carol and Sophia before dark. It was time to go home.
"Your place will always be here. You might need it someday. We'll always need you." Morgan hugged him goodbye.
Merle pouted because Jesse drove on the way back to the mountains, "I can drive even with one arm." Daryl knew he was in a lot of pain but Merle wouldn't take any painkillers.
"Look at the bright side. You'll need that wound checked out. Seems like Jesse has a cousin with medical training." Daryl knew that the best way to distract Merle from something he wanted to do was to bring up something he wanted more. Merle had it bad for Christie Osborne.
Jesse protested, "I can check to see if the wound is getting infected."
Merle visibly brightened, "That's right. I'll just have to go have a check-up with the medicine woman. Don't want this to get infected. One armed man in this world wouldn't last long."
Jesse stopped at a jewelry store at a strip mall. He and Daryl shopped for the perfect ring while Merle gathered up everything that wasn't nailed down. He even found some stock that hadn't been put out front. "Taking care of Christmas and Valentine's Day for you two Romeos. Might need a ring myself one of these days."
The three of them were so tired that Jesse stopped several times to stretch and try to wake up. Merle loved the mountains. "We'll hunt all the time, little brother."
Jesse pointed out, "We're farmers too. You'll have to learn how to grow part of your food."
Merle laughed, "That Christie looks like she has a healthy appetite. Better get used to me, Cousin Jesse. You and me are gonna be kin one of these days. Never thought my family tree would get so diverse, but these are strange times."
"Let's leave him here. He can find his way back to De Novo." Jesse stretched again, "Get your white ass in the truck, Cousin Merle. I hope your children are all darker than I am."
Merle got in the truck, "I just hope they are smarter. Get a move on Daryl. Your woman might have husband number three if we don't get there soon."
Daryl laughed, "Merle, shut the hell up before we do leave you here."
It was almost suppertime before they got back to Jesse's. The gates were locked, but Daryl jumped out with a key. Jesse drove the truck in and Daryl locked it behind them. The dogs got there before the kids but it was close. They were surrounded by barks and hugs and he was home.
Carol must have been inside because Daryl saw her push the front door open and step out onto the porch with a rifle. She handed the gun to Andrea and she met him at the bottom of the steps and she walked into his arms. He held her tight and wished he wasn't such a damn cry baby.
They ate supper inside at a big dining room table. Daryl looked at the children and said that they were starved and everything was fine at De Novo. Merle was a little quiet, but Christie and Caleb showed up to check on Rick and he cheered right up. She checked his shoulder and promised that she would be by in the morning to check it again.
Merle followed her to the Yukon, "Do you think you could bring Callie with you tomorrow?"
Christina smiled at him, "I probably could. Take care of yourself, Merle.
Daryl and Jesse unloaded supplies from De Novo. Carol raised an eyebrow at the boxes of clothes and personal items but she didn't say anything. After everything was unloaded Daryl held out his hand, "Carol, would you take a walk with me?"
Carol gave him her best smile, "I would love to."
They walked to the summit to watch the sun set. Carol was quiet and Daryl was nervous. He sat beside her and looked toward the sun that was falling too quickly into the western mountains. "Got some stuff to say."
Carol smiled again, "Go ahead."
Daryl could feel sweat forming under his clothes, "I love you. I want to be with you forever. I want to be married by Gabriel in his church. But there is something else I need to talk about."
"Go ahead." Carol wished that Daryl looked happier and less like he was going to hurl.
"I don't want to go back to De Novo. I want to live here. Jesse says we can live in his house from now on. I know you love your own place. I had to do things at De Novo that I ain't sorry I did."
Carol leaned over and kissed him, "I love you. I will marry you anytime. I didn't want to go back either. I feel at home here. I would go back if you wanted to, but I'm glad that you don't want to go back."
Daryl wiped the sweat off his forehead and pulled her into his arms, "I should have told you that I loved you months ago. I just didn't know what love felt like. So when do you want to get married? Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow sounds fine to me. I love you, Daryl." She kissed him again and he kissed her back and then pushed her off his lap.
Daryl grabbed her hand and pushed a ring on her left hand. "I gotcha a ring too."
Carol thought the circle of diamonds looked perfect. Daryl kissed her hand. "You get the rest of it when we get married. Tomorrow."
Daryl held her hand as he recounted the events of the last two days. Carol stared out into the darkening skies and knew that he had not killed lightly. This world would change both of them and somehow they had to not let it change how they felt about each other.
They walked back to the house to tell the others their news. Jesse brought out the good whiskey and there was lots of laughter in that house that night.