A New Day - Act IV - Around Every Corner
Part IV - Bedside Manor
"Whoa, holy shit!"
Ben stood from where he sat and glanced at the closet door, concern and curiosity in his eyes. "You okay? Find anything?"
The door opened and Wendy stepped out, a crossbow in hand and a smirk on her face. "I'm awful with guns, but this? This is more my style, I can't believe they just had one laying around."
The teenage boy's eyes widened as he stared at the crossbow. "Sheesh, you know how to use one of those?"
"My dad trained me." Wendy walked past and aimed the crossbow around, mocking firing bolts into invisible walkers. "The best part is that crossbow bolts are almost always reusable, assuming they don't break and that you're able to get to them."
Ben followed his girlfriend down the hall. "Did you find any ammo for it?"
"Yeah, I put all the bolts in my bag." Wendy replied. "If you see any bolts anywhere, grab them and give 'em to me."
"Roger that." Ben shrugged.
The two went down the main stairwell to the first floor, almost bumping into Dipper as he walked by. The capped boy quickly stumbled back and out of the way before he could cut off and/or bump into his friends. "Whoops, sorry guys."
"Don't sweat it dude." Wendy chuckled. "Any sign of Lee yet?"
Dipper sighed and shook his head. "Nope, still no...is that a crossbow?"
"Wait, what about the new girl? Molly, I think her name was?" Ben interrupted as he crossed his arms. "What...do you guys think of her?"
"I think she's trustworthy." Dipper shrugged. "For the time being, at least."
"Still, if she tries anything…" Wendy grumbled and brought up her crossbow, aiming it at the back of the woman's head down the hall. "...she's gonna get a crossbow bolt straight through the back of her head, right through her right eye-"
"I can hear you, ya know." Molly called out, glancing over her shoulder at them.
Wendy shuddered, eyes widening as she lowered her crossbow. "S-Sorry…"
"No, distrust is expected, and honestly, I'd consider you all delusional shitheads if you didn't have any." Molly shrugged and began rummaging through drawers in the kitchen. "A little bit is fine, and I know you don't have the guts to kill me anyways."
Before anyone else could speak, or Wendy could protest, the back door opened, and in stepped the familiar man who had become the guardian to Dipper, Mabel, and Clementine. The boy's eyes widened as he sprinted over, quickly embracing Lee in a hug. "Y-You're back!"
"Whoa!" Lee stumbled back slightly, before he hugged the boy back. He was surprised the boy hugged him, but he wasn't complaining. "I'm fine. Had a bit of walker trouble in the sewers, but nothing too bad."
"Hey, did you find Chuck on your way back?" Dipper pulled away, smiling.
Lee grimaced before frowning. "In the sewers...walkers got him."
Dipper's smile slowly faded as he looked at the ground. "Oh…so we've lost another one."
Lee couldn't argue; in the span of a day and a half, they had lost five people. Soos, Lilly, Katjaa, Duck, and now Chuck. "Hey, look...things are looking up. Don't worry."
"How so?" Dipper crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "I mean, Omid is still sick, and-"
Lee stepped aside to allow an older man inside. "This is Vernon. He's a doctor I met on my way back, he's here to help Omid."
Dipper eyed Vernon before smiling. "That's...amazing, actually."
"Where's Clementine?" Lee asked. "She made it back with you guys, right?"
"Yeah, she's around here somewhere." Dipper shrugged. "Sorry for...going out on my own. I was just...wanting to help."
"You did help, you and Clem kept the three of us from getting killed." Lee chuckled. Then movement in the kitchen caught his eye. He glanced inside to see Molly rummaging around. "Molly?"
The girl froze before looking at Lee and smiling. "Oh hey, you made it back."
"Who's this?" Vernon eyed Molly carefully.
"He didn't tell you about me? Understandable, I guess. I'm the one who put that beating on him when he tried to jump me back at the river." Molly approached the two and looked to Lee. "Who's the fossil?"
"This is Vernon, he's a doctor." Lee explained. "He helped me get back here after we got separated."
Molly eyed Lee up and down and placed a hand on her hip. "I think you have something that belongs to me?"
Lee nodded and handed off the ice climbing pick back to Molly. The girl took it and latched it onto her bag before walking off into the house. Before the two could go anywhere though, Christa rushed down the stairs. "Lee, thank God you're back."
The man quickly turned to face her, eyes wide. "Christa, what's wrong?"
"It's Omid." She hurried over. "He's gotten worse. Much worse."
Lee glanced at Vernon. "We have a man wounded."
"Who's this?" Christa asked.
"This is Vernon. He's a doctor." Lee said.
"Oh thank God…" Christa sighed in relief, smiling slightly.
"Could you take a look at him?" Lee asked.
"You have to help us...please." Christa pleaded, worry filling her eyes.
After a moment of silence, Vernon stepped out of his thoughts. "...I'll see what I can do. Take me to him."
The three headed up the main stairwell as Christa led them into one of the bedrooms, where Omid was lying weakly on the bed. The woman knelt by her boyfriend. "Omid honey, you're gonna be alright. Lee brought a doctor."
Omid shifted his head slightly and smiled at Christa. "That's great babe...awesome."
"Alright, let's take a look at him…" Vernon looked Omid over before kneeling down by his legs. "I work better without an audience. Why don't you go find that little girl of yours?"
Lee nodded and stepped out of the room, almost instantly running into Mabel as he did. He shut the door and smiled at the girl. "Hey Mabel."
"I thought I heard you come in." The girl chuckled. "Who's the old dude?"
"Vernon, he's a doctor and he's here to help Omid." Lee said. "Mabel, have you seen Clementine around anywhere?"
"Yeah, I saw her outside I think." Mabel took Lee's hand and began pulling him along. The man sighed, he'd have to chew out Ben later for why two of the kids suddenly showed up on River Street.
Meanwhile, the two had passed Ben and Wendy, who were making their way up to the attic. Wendy smirked and removed her hat once they were up there. "Alright...we alone?"
"I-I think." Ben checked behind a few boxes. The moment he looked back over, Wendy was already undressing. His cheeks flushed red as his eyes widened. "Err...y-you sure we should be doing this? If Robbie sees us, he'll probably shoot the two of us on the spot..."
"Then close the attic door and we'll be fine." Wendy removed her top completely, taking off her bra afterwards. "This will be great."
"Are you sure we should be rushing into sex this soon?" Ben asked.
"Shut up and take your clothes off, we'll be fine."
Ben sighed and removed his clothing. "Sheesh...wouldn't want any walkers to bite...my...g-genitals…"
He couldn't help but stare at Wendy.
Wendy chuckled. "Alright Ben, let's get this shit done."
Lee and Mabel reached the bottom floor and were about to leave before Lee placed a hand on Mabel's shoulder. "Hold on Mabel."
"Huh?" Mabel looked up. "What's wrong?"
"I have to have a word with Ken for a moment." Lee answered, glancing at the man in the living room. "Wait for me by the door, okay?"
Mabel nodded and walked off down the hall to the back door. Lee sighed and entered the living room, walking over to Kenny, who sat on the couch and swished around a green glass bottle. He lazily shook it slowly, a far-away look in his eye, before he took a swig. Once he was done, he glanced up at the man approaching and smiled partially. "Oh hey you made it back...good job, goood job."
Lee glared. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What does it look like?" Kenny shrugged and took another swig.
Lee crossed his arms. "Where'd you get the bottle?"
"Fffoooound it." Kenny chuckled somewhat, his voice having a noticeable slur. "You wanna throw down again like back on the train? Cause I fight better when I'm shitfaced."
Lee simply glared.
"What the hell you lookin' at?!" The drunk man stood up angrily.
"Getting wasted's not gonna help anyone." Lee argued.
"Yeah? Well, what is? We are fucked!" Kenny threw up his hands and sat back down. "Molly said there's not a single boat left in Savannah. No way out. We got walkers all around us, that crazy fuck on the radio messin' with us...hell, if now ain't the time for a drink...?"
Lee shook his head to himself as he watched his friend take another drink. He stepped out of the room and locked eyes with Carley, who had been watching the two. She sighed. "Welcome back, but...yeah. Our group's kind of...broken."
"I can see." Lee said. "I just don't know what to do about it."
"Well there's nothing we can do about it right now." Carley sighed. "Robbie and I are sorting the ammo and guns and, well, whatever other supplies we have. What are you up to?"
"I'm going outside with Mabel to find Clem." Lee replied. "See you."
"Alright." Carley walked up the main stairwell, going to the upstairs study.
Lee watched her go before he went over to the back door. He met Mabel next to it, and the two went outside without a word. The two looked around, Lee becoming more and more concerned by the minute.
"Clementine? Where are you?" He called out.
Lee and Mabel looked around the yard. Lee checked behind the foliage spread out around the place, while Mabel knelt down and peered into the doghouse. As they walked around, Lee stumbled back as a knock sounded on the door of the shed. He eyed it as Mabel rushed to his side. The man carefully walked over, and with heavy hesitation, pulled the door open. However, the moment he opened the door, he was hit by whatever force had been trying to open it earlier, and he had fallen back to the ground.
And out stepped Clementine.
The young girl gasped before smiling. "Lee!"
Lee smiled and quickly got to his knees as he embraced Clem in a hug. "Hey girl…!"
"Come look! Look what I found!" The girl pulled away and went over to the partially ajar doors. The man got to his feet and went over, quickly opening the doors fully. His eyes widened.
Inside was a boat.
"...whoa." He muttered.
"Sheesh." Mabel smiled and crossed her arms.
"I know, right?" Clementine clasped her hands together.
Then the back door opened, and everyone turned to watch Kenny step out and slowly walk over. He looked inside the shed and eyed the boat, the bottle falling from his hand. Then, without a word, he smiled, and chuckled.
"Well hot damn."
The group gathered in the first floor living room that evening, save for Omid, who was still resting upstairs, and Kenny, who was inspecting the boat. Christa sat on the couch, Molly sat by the window, Wendy and Ben leaned against the wall closest to the main hall, Carley and Robbie sat in chairs by the fireplace, Dipper sat on the floor near the coffee table, and Lee leaned against the closet door. Vernon came down the main stairwell and entered, sitting beside Christa on the couch.
Lee looked over as he began pacing around the room. "Omid's doing okay?"
"As well as can be expected under the circumstances." Vernon responded. "I did what I could for him, cleaned out the wound...but he's got a real infection, running a fever. Without antibiotics, I…" He fell silent and simply shook his head.
Molly glared at Lee. "Will you quit pacing? You're making everyone nervous."
"Why are you even still here?" Robbie sighed.
"Hey, if your friend really can get that boat working, you're taking me with you as payment for saving your asses." Molly argued. "I figure that's fair enough, don't you?"
At that moment, Kenny reentered. He sighed and wiped some sweat from his forehead. "You want the good news or the bad news?"
"Let's get the bad news out of the way first." Lee said.
"Bad news is, she's not taking us anywhere the shape she's in right now." Kenny explained. "Gas tank's empty and the battery's dead."
"So what's the good news?" Christa asked.
"That's it, that's all she needs, some gas and a battery." Kenny continued. "Other than that she's good to go."
"Well how are we supposed to get that stuff?" Wendy asked, slightly annoyed. This good news didn't exactly sound so good.
Silence.
Dipper spoke up. "...I know I'll get some backlash for this, but it sounds like Crawford is the one place that has everything we need. Maybe we should try there."
"Now hold on a minute." Vernon furrowed his brow.
"Surely we have to try." Christa stood up. "If there are people left in this city who are still alive, who still have supplies, what harm can it do to ask?"
"Trust me, you don't know these people. I do." Vernon argued calmly. "You showing up with a wounded man? Might as well put a noose around his neck, or a bullet in his brain. They don't exactly welcome children with open arms either."
"What the hell kind of a place are we even talking about then?!" Carley said.
"The worst kind." Molly added. "But I don't see what other choice we have."
"And just how exactly do you figure we do this?" Kenny asked Dipper. "Because from what I've heard, that place ain't exactly friendly to outsiders."
"Uh...well…" The boy fell silent.
"There's gotta be some way we can sneak in there undetected." Lee said.
Vernon thought for a moment. "...there might actually be a way. I know the sewer system that runs beneath Crawford like the back of my hand. Ya'll wouldn't happen to have a map by any chance?"
"Yeah, actually…" Lee reached into his pocket and handed Vernon the folded up map he had found on the train.
"I think I could lead us through and pass under the perimeter and right into the center, where they keep their supplies." Vernon unfolded the map and placed it down on the table for everyone to observe. "We come up right underneath them, take them by surprise, grab what we need, and get out before they even knew what hit them."
"That's...actually not the worst idea I've ever heard." Molly said. "I mean it's close, but...I don't know. Maybe it could work."
"I've thought about it before, just never had the people to do it." Vernon added. "But I think if we all work together, we could pull it off."
"And what do you want in return for all this help you're givin' us?" Kenny asked, eyeing Vernon with suspicion.
"Crawford doesn't just have what you need for your boat, they're also well stocked with medical supplies. Medicine that my people could use, just as yours could." Vernon explained.
"We can do this! We have to." Christa said.
"So, it's decided then?" Kenny asked with a slight smirk. "We're going to Crawford?"
"We can do this. I know it." Lee nodded.
"Hell yeah we can." Kenny chuckled.
"A-Are we seriously talking about this?" Ben asked. "I mean, what about the risk?"
"I don't know about you, kid, but I'd rather take my chance doing something rather than just sitting around here waiting to die." Kenny said. "That boat out there is an answered prayer. We just gotta push a little bit farther. Are you in or out?"
Ben didn't respond, he simply stared down at the floor.
"We should go tonight, under cover of dark." Vernon said. "I'll go let my people know, give you all a chance to prepare. I'll be back before midnight."
"Be careful." Christa said.
"That's how I'm still alive." Vernon added, before leaving the room and exiting the mansion.
Lee stepped out to watch him leave out the front door, before hearing a slight creaking. He looked up at the stairs, seeing Clementine and Mabel sitting at the top. "I told you two to stay in your room. How long have you been there?"
"Is it going to be dangerous?" Clem asked.
"Is what gonna be dangerous?" Lee asked.
"Y'know...Crawford." Mabel answered.
"I can't lie to you two...I just don't know." Lee shrugged, honesty in his eyes.
Clem looked down. "...I-I don't want anyone else to die."
"Neither do I, Clem, but...sometimes we have to take that kind of risk." Lee sighed.
After a moment of silence, Mabel stood up. "Welp, I guess we should go get ready."
"Err, say what now?" Lee raised an eyebrow.
"You said you'd need all of us to do this." Mabel smiled.
"Plus, you said I'm a big help, remember?" Clementine smiled as well. "Molly said Crawford is the only place left in Savannah that still has people! That means it must be where my mom and dad are! Right?"
"Where I'm going, it's just too dangerous. For children especially." Lee explained. "I'm only bringing Dipper cause, of the three of you, he has the most training with a gun."
"You said we're supposed to always stay close to you…!" Clem argued. "Can't we come with you?"
Silence fell between them as Lee entered deep thought. "...okay, you both can come. But you have to promise to stay quiet and do exactly what you're told the whole time we're there."
"Alright, I'm gonna go get ready then." Mabel hurried up the stairs.
"Me too!" Clem smiled again and rushed up after her.
Lee smiled after them and sighed. Hopefully this mission would work.
That night, everyone met outside of the mansion in the backyard. Everyone gathered near the center while Kenny rummaged through the garage. Christa, Robbie, and Carley made sure their guns were loaded, and Dipper and Molly inspected the map. Everyone else simply waited for Vernon to return.
"Check out what I found in the garage." Kenny stepped out. "Hatchet, hacksaw, some other tools...might come in handy on this little break-in."
"Nice." Lee smiled.
Kenny approached the man. "Can I talk to you a minute?"
The two walked off to the other side of the yard, making sure to keep their voices low. "What's up?"
"I took another look at the boat. She's a 60-footer." Kenny said.
"So?"
"So we're gonna have a capacity problem." Kenny sighed. "A boat that big ain't gonna hold more than ten people, even if three of them are kids."
The two fell silent.
"You, me, Clem, Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, Robbie, Ben, Carley, Christa, Omid, Molly…" Lee counted the members of their group.
"Assuming everyone makes it back alive, that's still one too many, even if we cut Molly loose." Kenny said. "When this is all over, we're gonna have to make a decision."
"You're not serious." Lee muttered with concern.
Kenny sighed again. "Look, I'm just saying, if we want the best chance of-"
Everyone looked at the gates to the backyard as it creaked open, Vernon stepping in, alongside another woman; Lee recognized her as the woman from before, Brie.
Kenny glared. "Who the hell is this?"
"This is Brie, she can help us." Vernon answered.
"Help us how?" Lee asked.
"I was a student at the school where Crawford keeps their supplies." Brie explained. "I know the layout."
"With her help, we're in and out faster." Vernon added. "Anyone have a problem with that?"
Lee shrugged. "I guess not."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Molly raised her hood and placed the refolded map in her pocket. "Let's get moving."
Everyone began leaving, before Lee stopped the kids. "You three ready?"
"Ready." Clem nodded, followed by the twins smiling and nodding as well.
"Whoa, hold on a minute, you're not taking them with us." Vernon said. "Did you not hear anything I said about the kind of place Crawford is? If you take them in there and they find them..."
"These kids aren't just excess baggage. They've gotten us out of tight spots more than once." Lee said. "They're coming. Deal with it."
"You heard the man. Let's move out." Kenny said.
Lee stood, taking a hatchet from Ben as the teen offered it to him. The group continued out onto the streets, following Vernon to a manhole cover. Everyone descended into the sewers one by one and carefully followed the doctor, making sure to stay close and quiet. Soon enough, he stopped below a manhole cover after numerous twists and turns.
"This should be it. We're right underneath the center of Crawford." Vernon said. "The old school should be directly above us."
"Okay people, this is it. Remember the plan." Lee said. "We stay quiet, we stay hidden, and we stay together. We find what we need, and we get the hell out before anyone even knows we're there. Got it?"
Everyone nodded silently.
Lee looked at the kids. "And that part about staying close, that goes double for the three of you."
The Pines twins and Clem nodded again.
Lee was the first to climb the ladder, peeking out from underneath the manhole cover above. He pushed it off carefully and climbed out, once he saw the cost was clear. "Let's go." He whispered to everyone below.
The rest of the group climbed up and out slowly as they followed Lee over to a patch of foliage. Everyone hid behind it and readied their weapons in case anything were to hit the fan immediately.
"Where is everybody...?" Vernon whispered. "There should be guards patrolling…"
"What, are you disappointed?" Kenny quipped.
Vernon shrugged. "It's just strange, is all…"
"I think I see one." Christa whispered, point towards the end of the road at a man wandering around in a coat and bandana. "Over by the crossroads."
"Okay, me and Kenny'll sneak up, try to take him out quiet." Lee explained. "The rest of you wait for our signal, then follow us over. Everybody got it?"
Everyone nodded, Kenny picking up his rifle.
"Okay Kenny, let's do this quiet." Lee said. "No shooting unless there's no other choice."
Kenny nodded. "Right behind ya."
Lee slowly crept over, hatchet in hand, though as he got behind him, the man turned around slowly. Lee's eyes widened. "What the fuck?!"
It was a walker.
Quickly, Lee raised the hatchet and delivered a fresh chop to the undead man's face, yanking the hatchet out as the body collapsed to the pavement. The group hurried over and stared at the corpse with wide eyes.
"What the fuck is a walker doing in here?!" Lee exclaimed.
At that moment, more walkers began to appear, piling into the streets in groups, coming from around building corners and out of foliage.
"Get inside! Quick!" Lee yelled.
Everyone dashed from the streets, following Vernon up to the old school. As the walkers began to draw closer, everyone barely made it in as Lee and Kenny slammed the doors shut.
The streets of Crawford were filled with walkers in seconds.
-(End Of Chapter)-
