note: Things get extremely intense in this chapter, in terms of violence and Janet's being her crazy torturing self, so just a warning.

Don't own MSB or The Walking Dead or the title.

Enjoy!


under cover of darkness
by the ultimateSora

chapter twenty-eight
judge, jury, executioner

Ralphie held Dorothy Ann as Keesha washed her hair in the sink, and when she finished, she brushed out her hair and pulled it up. He carried D.A. to the showers to help her bathe, and he wrapped her in a towel when she was clean, leaving her filthy clothes by the shower to clean later. He carried her to her room-cell, and he set her on her cot. He knelt down beside the cot, and he noticed that her color was beginning to come back.

"Feeling better," she said, her voice clearing up some.

"You look better, but most people do when they get dirt and blood cleaned off of them," he said, smiling. He put his hand on her cheek as she turned her head to look at him. "If anything had happened to you-" He choked back a sob. "You're here, and you're all right, and that's all I want."

She shook her head. "Not all right." She held up her left arm. "Gone."

"You had to do it to save yourself." He put his hand on her left arm, careful not to hit the healing bandaged area.

She raised her brows. "Still...beautiful?"

He was shocked she was asking him that. While she took care of her appearance, she wasn't vain or put her looks first. It was never hidden that he found her drop dead gorgeous. She was the sexiest girl he ever dated, but she was more than a tanned and toned body. She was brilliant, tough, funny, loving, independent...everything he'd want in a girl. She was a big, brilliant brain within a beautiful body. She was the best of both brains and body.

"You could have cut off both arms, both legs, both ears, and your nose, and your breasts and butt could shrink, and you'd still be the most beautiful woman in the world to me." He took her right hand in his and kissed her fingers. "Those maulers should be glad you got them first because I wanted to destroy them for hurting you. But you're tough and strong and fierce...you took them all out single-handedly. That's one of the many, many things that I fucking love about you."

She smiled, her eyes watering. "Shut...up."

He let his tears fall. "You're so fucking perfect in every way possible, and I'm so happy you're back here with me."

She gestured for him to kiss her on the lips, which he happily did. She took his hand, putting it under her towel. He wasn't going to ask her if she was sure, did she feel up to fooling around, because if she wasn't sure, she wouldn't have put his hand on her. He didn't want to go further than that so she could get some sleep and replenish her energy. She tensed and let out a moan, and Ralphie pulled his hand out.

"Get some rest," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'll check on you later."

She nodded and closed her eyes. He got up and left the room-cell. He went down to the common area where Keesha was sitting on one of the cots. She had a nervous look in her eye.

"Something wrong?" he asked as he washed his hands.

"Carlos and Phoebe should have been back by now."

His chest tightened when he realized Carlos and Phoebe weren't around. "Where did they go?"

"They went on a fuel run for Mikey. It shouldn't have taken them this long."

Great. Two more missing, one of which was his step-sister. "I have-"

"No," Keesha snapped. "You've done enough. You need rest. If they're not back by tonight, I'll take Tim with me to go look."

Ralphie covered his face and ran his hands up and over his hair. He heard "Li'l Asskicker" making noises, and he went to her box, which was on one of the counters. He picked her up and held her close. People may not have believed a hulk like him liked babies and kids, but he did. He would have loved to have kids with D.A., but he wouldn't bring it up if she didn't. Until then, he'd have to enjoy time with- what did Phoebe call her? Jane...Something- He'll just go with what Carlos called her: "Li'l Asskicker."

Carlos and Phoebe...no, they were fine. He couldn't worry and run off to look for them when he didn't know where they were to begin with. They were fine. He had to keep telling himself that over and over.

They were fine.


Arnold hadn't had water in a few hours. His bleeding lip kept opening up, so all he tasted was blood, which he kept spitting onto the filthy floor of the cell. His clothes were dirty and torn, and his face was bruised and covered with dried blood. His glasses were broken during the first beating, and the glass left cuts on his nose and brows. The cell smelled heavy of urine and feces, but he could also smell the sweat and blood on his upper lip.

The heavy door outside the cell opened, one of the armored guards coming in. "Perlstein, up. The Governor says he has something for you."

"Is it having one of his guards beat me again? There's only so much I can take from a guy who's too much of a chicken shit to beat me himself."

The guard pulled out his gun. "I said 'up!'"

Arnold slowly pulled himself up, his muscles sore. "You must really love your job, huh?"

The guard smirked. "Oh, it'll be worth it in a little bit."

He pulled Arnold out and cuffed him. He shoved him forward and kept his gun on him as they walked out. Two more guards came out and took him by the arms, pulling him towards the stairs. He tried to keep up, knowing they'd just drag him up the stairs if he didn't. They pulled him outside of the city hall building and shoved him towards the steps up to a raised platform. The Governor and Seedplot were up there, along with a couple of more guards.

"Oh, good," the Governor said with a smile, "our guest of honor is here." Arnold saw all of the survivors standing in the town square. They were cheering and waving to the Governor, and he waved back to them. He gestured for the crowd to quiet down. "It's finally happened!" he shouted, his voice carrying. "The murderous traitor has been captured!" They erupted in cheers.

"No," Arnold muttered. He looked at the Governor, wishing his hands weren't handcuffed behind him so he could shove him off the platform. "You son of a bitch!"

The Governor only smiled when he turned and grabbed Arnold by the thin sweater he was wearing over his collared shirt. He pulled him forward and grasped the back of his neck to hold him in place. "You thought what we did to thieves was bad, son? Wait until you see what we do to dangerous murderers."

"I know what you do," Arnold said. "You make them senior officers and give them whatever they want."

He laughed. "I would have thought a smart boy like you would know when to shut up." He raised his other hand. "BRING OUT THE TRAITOR!"

A pick up truck came driving towards them. The crowd began to boo and throw things at the figure hanging from a pole and hook in the truck bed. She was hanging by the handcuffs so her arms were being pulled above her. Her ankles were tied together to keep her from kicking, and her mouth was covered. Arnold began crying when the truck came closer. She was naked, the words "TRAITOR" and "MURDERER" written on her chest and stomach respectively. She was covered in scratches and bruises, dried blood and dirt smeared on her arms and legs. She wasn't struggling, nor was she crying.

The truck stopped in front of the platform, and Janet got out on the passenger side. She climbed up on the roof of the truck and pulled out a piece of paper. "Phoebe Terese!" she shouted for the crowd to hear. "You are accused of such crimes as the cold-blooded murder of Tiffany Woods and the assault and attempted murder of myself! How do you plea?"

She jumped down and ripped the tape off of her mouth. Phoebe spit on her face. "Go to hell."

Arnold couldn't help but smile. That's my girl.

Janet wiped her face and grabbed her by the throat, shoving her back so her head hit the pole. She kept her hand around her throat and looked at the crowd. "You see what we are dealing with?"

The crowd cheered and booed, some screaming for Phoebe to hang. A rock was thrown from the crowd, and it hit Phoebe in the ribs, making her cry out. The crowd cheered louder and laughed. Janet had them wrapped tight around her little finger. It made Arnold sick.

Janet turned back to Phoebe and hit her head against the pole again. "Again, how do you plea?"

"Untie me and face me like a woman," Phoebe said. "No weapons, no guards, just you and me, bare fists."

Janet laughed. "Oh, you may get your chance to face me before you hang and have your head put on a spike." She turned towards the crowd. "As we all know, she is guilty! She refuses to plea, so guilty she is!"

Two guards climbed onto the truck, taking Phoebe down. They untied her ankles so she could walk as they pulled her towards building, and the guards behind Arnold pulled him behind them, too. He lost sight of Phoebe, and they took him back downstairs. They threw him in a dim room after uncuffing him, and they locked the door after closing it. He slammed his hands on the door, shouting at the guards, cursing Janet and the Governor.

He stopped when he heard a familiar voice echo down the hall outside the room, "Face me like a woman, you psychopath! Stop hiding behind your goons!"

He winced when he heard a loud smack and yelp. Another door opened out there, and when it was slammed shut, he knew it had to be one of the rooms next door. He took a deep breath and went to the shared wall. The walls were thin enough that he could hear the muffled voices when he pressed his ear to the wall.

"I don't bargain with criminals," Janet said. "Do you know what this is?"

"Some kind of kinky sex toy you and your Governor use together?"

Slam! Janet must have shoved her against the wall. "You do not speak of him like that! Hang her up and turn her back towards me. I'll let my cat o' nine tails do my talking."

The multiple crack! sounds of a whip told him what a cat o' nine tails was. He felt his tears fall, and he hit his fist on the wall. "Stop!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Stop it!"

"Do you hear that, Terese?" Janet said. "Arnold can hear everything, so why don't you let out a little cry for him to hear?"

"Never." Phoebe's voice was trembling.

Janet resumed the whipping. "I'd hit you on the ass, but I can't tell it from your back!" she laughed.

"I knew you always wanted a look," Phoebe said, her voice strained.

Keep it up, Pheebs, Arnold thought. Don't give in to her. Don't cry or scream; it's what she wants.

Janet let out an deep, angered scream, and the whipping sounds became louder and faster. They suddenly stopped. "Take this piece of trash to the next room."

Arnold heard the guards move as they went to get Phoebe. He backed away from the wall and tried not to give in to collapsing. He needed to be standing when Phoebe was brought in. The door on the other side of the room opened, and he saw Phoebe being shoved in. She lost her footing and fell, the guards laughing and pointing at her. Arnold saw the blood running down her back to her thighs as he ran to her and helped her up. He held her tight, careful not to touch the slashes, and he gave the guards the finger.

"Feel good laughing at a defenseless woman?" he demanded.

They laughed again, one saying, "Feel good fucking a criminal?"

"At least I'm not kissing one's ass, like you two are with Janet."

One of the guards looked ready to shoot him, but the other one pulled him back, and they slammed the door, locking it. Arnold wanted to kill them. His "To Kill" list was growing more and more by the minute.

"They'll burn for this," Phoebe said. "I'll make sure of it." She wiped her eyes and suddenly looked frantic as she remembered something. "Where's Carlos? Have you seen him?"

He shook his head. "Why?"

"He was with me. Janet took him, too." She started to shake, and Arnold could feel goosebumps on her skin. "If anything happens to him... It'll be my fault, you know."

"He'll be okay. Their beef isn't with him. It's us." He let go of her so he could take off his outer shirt. He handed her the thin sweater and rolled up the sleeves of his collared shirt. "How did she find you?"

She pulled the sweater on, wincing with each movement. "It was by chance. Carlos and I were out in the little town, far enough away from Walkerville and...and where we're staying, getting fuel for generators. She surprised us, and her guards took us."

Arnold cupped her face, careful not to touch her bruises. He worried how she was handling what had just happened. Janet had taken one of Phoebe's biggest fears and made it happen.

"How are you doing?"

"She's trying to emotionally break me, but she can't. She can't." Phoebe started to shake again, and Arnold knew she was trying not to cry. "Janet broke me all through junior high and high school. She made me feel worthless and ugly and weak, and she can't do it again."

Arnold knew she needed to feel stronger, but he knew her better. He put his hands on her hips. "Phoebe..."

"She can't do any worse to me than having me naked in front of an entire town and then hitting me with a whip. Except..." She moved her eyes up to meet his. "If she does anything to you, I'll kill her with my bare hands."

The door opened the back again, and the two guards that laughed at her returned. Arnold held her tight and watched them with a hard look. They were both smirking, and as one grabbed Arnold, the other grabbed Phoebe.

"She covered herself up!" the second one said.

"Well, get her naked!" the first laughed.

Arnold felt something on his leg, and he realized it was the guard's knife. He tried to block out Phoebe's protests as the guard tried pulling the sweater off so he could get the knife and kill these assholes. In one quick move, he pulled the knife out and stabbed the guard through a weak spot in the armor. When the guard let go, Arnold spun around and stabbed him in the throat and the skull. The second guard let go of Phoebe and reached for his gun, only to find that it was missing.

Phoebe grabbed him from behind and put his gun to his head. "No one likes a bully who's a rapist." She pulled the trigger and let his body fall. "Especially me."

Arnold took the other guard's gun, and they ran out, holding tight to the other's hand. The halls were dimly lit, but they managed to figure out where to go. Arnold led them to the cells where Carlos might be held. Some prisoners they passed reached for Phoebe's legs, only to get a knife to the hand by Arnold. They continued running, and Phoebe saw him.

"Carlos!"

He had been sitting, his head down, but he jumped to his feet when he heard her. His face was bruised and covered in dried blood. Phoebe reached through the bars and touched his cheek.

"I'm so, so sorry," she said, sniffling.

"Not your fault, slim," he said, taking her hand off and giving it a squeeze. "The guard outside that large door has the key. Go do what you do best."

She looked at Arnold. "Be right back."

He nodded and watched her go. It didn't take long for her to get the key, but Arnold didn't think it would. She unlocked Carlos' cell, and she tossed the key to another prisoner, telling him to pay it forward. They ran out through the large door, and Arnold stopped, pulling Carlos aside.

"There's a black Yukon parked in the hospital lot. It has a rifle and suitcase in it." He took a key from his pocket. "Take the Yukon back to the prison and warn the others, tell them Phoebe is here."

Phoebe looked at the dead guard on the floor. "Take his armor and go."

"What about you?"

"We'll be fine," she said. She gave him a tight hug. "Be careful."

Carlos returned the hold. "I should be telling you that."

He let go of her and put the armor on over his clothes. He put the helmet on and ran for the stairs. Arnold and Phoebe held tight to the other's hand, both glad he made it out. They closed their eyes when they heard the door open behind them. They were roughly grabbed and dragged back to the room they had been held in.

Two guards held Phoebe as a third punched Arnold in the gut. "Don't wanna mess up his pretty face, do we, boys?" he laughed as Arnold fell to his hands and knees.

"Stop!" Phoebe screamed.

"Don't worry, little girl," the guard said, kicking Arnold this time, "your turn will come soon."

He grabbed Arnold by the hair and pulled him up as Janet walked in. "At ease, boys." She walked over to Phoebe and grabbed her by the throat. She pulled her away from Arnold as the guards now grabbed him. "Now, we're going to play a little game called 'Tell Janet What She Needs to Know.' After this, we'll be taking a visit to the arena. So, one of you will tell me where your little group is hiding."

"Arnold, don't!" Phoebe said.

Janet pulled her out and took her into another room that had a table and two chairs. "One of you will talk, one way or another." She slammed her head against the wall. "Talk."

"Go to hell." She tried not to show her anguish over hearing Arnold's screams in the next room.

Janet hit her on the back. The blood that soaked through couldn't be seen on the black fabric, but Janet's palm became red. "I said talk."

Phoebe tried not to scream from the blinding pain. "And I said go to hell."

The door opened, and Phoebe saw the Governor come in. "I got this one, Janet. Go take care of your cousin."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

Janet walked out, and the Governor gestured to one of the chairs. "Sit." Phoebe hobbled over, her back burning. She sat down, and the Governor sat down across from her. "Just tell me what I want to know, and nothing will happen to you and Arnold."

"Bullshit," she said. "You're going to put us to death, so why should I talk?"

He smiled and chuckled. "You're a smart girl, you figure it out."

She continued to hear Arnold's muffled screams. "If you're saying that you'll let us live if we tell you, I still don't believe you."

His smile was gone, and he was on his feet, his chair flying back. He grabbed her by the shirt and slammed her down on the table. "I could do whatever I wanted to you right now."

"Then do it," she spat.

He grabbed her again and threw her back, her body slamming against the wall. Before she fell, he grabbed her again and pulled her out of the room. He took her to the room Arnold was in, and she felt her stomach clench at his bruised and bloodied face. Two of the guards were holding him as the third had been beating him. Janet was watching with a smile on her face. They all turned when they heard the Governor come in, the third guard moving away from Arnold.

"Enough!" he shouted. He pulled out his gun. "One of you is going to talk!"

He pointed the gun to Arnold's forehead. "The prison!" Phoebe blurted. "There's fourteen of us there. We set up camp after clearing the maulers out."

"Good girl."

The Governor shoved her forward towards Arnold. Arnold held her tight as she shook, trying not to cry when Janet was standing there. They had a quiet moment before the rifle butts met the backs of their heads.

A burst of stars behind their eyelids before everything went black.


Tim and Keesha loaded their guns and packed their bags with ammo, smoke bombs, and extra weapons. Ralphie followed them out to the gate, not wanting them to go without him.

"Someone needs to stay and keep guard here," Keesha said.

"Robbie and Mikey can do that."

Before Keesha could respond, they saw a black vehicle coming their way. A figure got out and opened the front gate, and in the moonlight, they could see who it was. Keesha opened the second gate, and Carlos came driving in. He came to a hard stop and got out, running to Keesha and pulling her in to a tight hug.

"Where's Phoebe?" Ralphie demanded.

Carlos let go of Keesha and gestured for everyone to go inside. They stood around the common area as Carlos told them what happened, from Janet taking them to him being beaten and thrown in a cell to Arnold and Phoebe rescuing him.

"We have to go back and get them before Janet kills them," he said. "She won't stop with just those two, either." He looked at Ralphie. "You and Robbie are prime targets, too, bro."

Ralphie grabbed his rifle. "So what are we waiting for?"

"Whoa, you can't go!" Keesha snapped. "You're just as much a target as Pheebs was!"

"I'm her step-brother!" he yelled. "I have to save her!"

"I'll go."

They turned and saw a fully dressed Dorothy Ann at the top of the stairs. She had her revolver in hand and a small bag on her shoulder, stocked with ammo. Her knife was strapped to her thigh as well. Aside from her missing arm and hoarse voice, she looked ready and fit.

"No," Ralphie said.

She walked down the stairs with no problem. "Don't tell me 'no.' Phoebe is my best friend, and if the roles were reversed, she'd come save me, too. I don't need both hands to do so."

Mikey came wheeling in from one of the doors that led to the halls. "You don't need both hands. When I heard about your arm, I made you something." He wheeled up to her and held up a metal contraption with a knife attached at the end of a metal sleeve. "Slide it on."

She slid her left arm into the metal sleeve, and Mikey adjusted the straps. She told him when it fit right, and when it was in place, she stepped back and swung her arm. She smiled and moved as if stabbing a mauler.

"This is amazing! Thank you, Mikey!"

He smiled. "No problem. There's also a little holder for your gun. When you need to reload, stick the grip in there..." He pointed to the metal pocket on the outside of the sleeve. "...and reload away."

She tried it out, having no problem working her gun with one hand. "Thanks so much, Mikey. I owe you."

"You don't owe me anything."

Carlos patted his brother on the back. "Excellent job, bro."

"Well, if we're all ready, let's go," Keesha said.

Carlos took off the armor he had been wearing, tossing it aside. "You'll need a wheelman for a quick getaway. I'll drive you guys in and keep watch with the engine running. The three of you should be enough for a quick rescue. Hopefully, Janet hasn't finished the job yet."

Ralphie was about to run after them when they headed out, but Mikey grabbed his arm. "They'll be all right, man. You've done enough in the last few days."

"Those are my friends and girlfriend going after my step-sister. I should be with them."

"You have a brother here that'll need you."

Mikey was right, but it didn't make Ralphie's pain lessen any.


note: Chapter title comes from the TWD episode of the same name.

The Governor threatening Phoebe for information is based on the Governor on TWD doing similar to Maggie.

Of course it would be Dorothy Ann who got Merle's weapon arm.