I know that some of you (kawinki anyway) are fixated on a clean cut Daryl in his army uniform but this chapter has no fluff and not a lot of humor either. This is serious, my peeps. The bad guys have to be routed and I have the group to do it. I would love to see Daryl clean, shaven, and in uniform myself so as always use your imagination to fill in any gaps in this story.

Rallying the Troops

Carol walked through the pines the next morning wishing she had a warmer jacket. She and Michonne shivered as the fog lifted off of the pine forests. Daryl and Rick were in the lead and Morgan was bringing up the rear. Daryl was never lost in the woods and he was picking his way through the woods as if he had his own gps system. She felt safer in the middle of the forest and it would be more dangerous as they got closer to the highway.

Michonne watched the woods. She remembered that winter she and Andrea had survived out on their own. Sometimes staying in abandoned houses and sometimes sleeping out in the open. Her old world had died and with it her son Andre. With his death she let go of her old self and became a new person that survived by her physical prowess and mental toughness. That strength had kept both them alive that winter but she had been too closed in to convince Andrea to go with here. She had been too stubborn to talk to Andrea when she came to the prison. Michonne had cradled Andrea's dying body and swore two things; one that she kill the Governor and the other that she would never let a friend down again.

Carol held out her hand and took Michonne's as they walked through the damp pine straw. "Are you cold?" It was a continuing joke at the house that the women were always too cold and the men too warm.

Michonne smiled back, "Yes, when can we go back to the frozen tundra and get warm?" She meant it as a joke but she was afraid that she came across a little plaintive because Carol gave her a worried look and squeezed her hand. "We could have stood watch last night and you should have woken us up".

"Jack and Jill needed the rest. You need to take the noon train home and take care of yourself. Alia and Matthias love you like a second mother. So please go home." Carol was insisting that her babies were fraternal twins, a boy and a girl.

"When are you going home?" Michonne wasn't leaving her family here. Last night her katana had taken out a guard and a random soldier who had come out to see what was going on. She might be pregnant but she was still a warrior. They had needed her last night and they might need her today.

"Tomorrow, I am going home tomorrow morning if today goes right. Don't argue with me about this. Sleeping in a barn and fighting well armed soldiers isn't good for J & J right now. You saved me last night and we both know it, but today I am saving your babies. So get your ass in whatever vehicle that is going back and rest. Tonight you can be resting in your own bed. I think you won't be lonely because Alia and Matthias will want to snuggle with you tonight." Carol realized that her voice had that same plaintive tone as Michonne's. She was missing her cold mountains and her warm house too, but most of all she longed for the company of her children. Somehow Michonne being there with them comforted that longing a bit.

"Will you watch over my Black Knight if I am go?" Michonne wanted some reassurance that Morgan would be all right.

Carol shook her head, "He will watch over me more likely. I don't know what is going to happen but I am pretty sure I'll be shuttled to the backlines and Daryl and Morgan will be in the thick of things. We aren't going to win this war today but that are going to take all those explosive that our brain trust has concocted and hit something. We need to do that and get out. We are guerrilla fighters and we have to be on the move."

Daryl held up his hand and turned back to them, "You two stay here". Carol and Michonne stopped and the three men took off through the dimly lit trees.

Michonne watched the three men file out between the trees, "I should be pissed but I am not. You got some plan in your head, don't you".

Carol nodded, "We need to get this done this morning and get the hell out of Dodge. That is one pissed off General. He will burn this county down. Gabriel needs to get his people out and to somewhere safer. I need to talk to him this morning early."

The women waited and before long the men were back and Jesse, Emily, and Gabriel were with them. Carol gathered up her courage. She needed to be decisive because timing was everything. She had a plan and it would work.

Carol didn't waste any time. "Who has the map?" and Gabriel spread it out on a downed pine. "The supply trucks are loaded in Savannah. They'll be getting started in a few minutes. Gabriel, your fighters need to ambush it somewhere in this area." Carol pointed to a highway about twenty miles out. She looked at him and he nodded. "Try not to blow up those trucks because there is fuel in them. Food and other supplies. There is a truck in front and one in the back that are carrying soldiers. Better take those out first." Gabriel nodded again. He seemed to accept whatever she told him.

Carol turned to Jesse. "There is a herd of walkers around here. It's not huge but it has come in from a bigger town and is heading west. You need to get in front of it and lead it here." Carol put her finger on a spot about fifteen miles to the northeast of the town and then moved it to the town." Come in on a secondary road. You are going to load the truck with explosives and then set the truck to run toward barricade. The road is perfectly straight there, "And then you run to a truck that is sitting beside the road and get out." The truck will explode when it hits and the boom will bring the walkers in. The soldiers will get most of them before they can get in but some of them will be killed in the explosion. It won't take down the town but it will cause enough damage to shake them up."

Daryl said, "Morgan and I will lead the walkers in". Carol shook her head, "The truck will have to be a distance away. You and Morgan can't run that fast for that distance." Daryl looked furious, but Carol met his angry look with calmness. He and Morgan would be too slow and if one faltered the other would stop and it would be the end of both of them.

Jesse said, "I'll do it and Greg can do it with me."

Carol shook her head, "You twisted your ankle yesterday and it is just tender enough that you'll fall if when you hit a soft spot in the field."

"John and Greg will do it. They are young and they like to go down to the old high school and race each other." Emily's voice held all the fear expected of a woman sending her two sons out in a vehicle loaded with explosives to lead a herd of walkers behind them. She looked at Carol.

Carol nodded reluctantly, "Yes, but we need shooters to be around them before they get close to the town. Protecting them. Eugene will be close to the town with the explosives. He will load them on the truck and they'll set it to go. The boys will jump off and we need to let loose everything at the town over on this side. Throw a few bombs over here to keep them distracted. And then we jump into vehicles and rendezvous hours from here." She pointed at a spot northwest toward the mountains. It was a hotel that they had stayed in on the way to Washington. They had told Rick that they were going to the mountains there.

Morgan and Jesse studied the plan carefully. It looked complicated to them, anything could go wrong but the three pronged plan had one aspect they liked. The ambush would provide supplies for them and deny them to the enemy. The walkers/bomb component would not endanger the whole group. The distraction bombers would help add to the general confusion. They agreed.

"Rick, take half of our mountain men with Gabriel. They will need to learn how to fight together and now is as good time as any. You'll find a big ditch and that is where you'll set up your ambush. Take the bodies of the soldiers and bury them there. It was to be your final resting place, Gabriel. There are good men in those trucks who are just following orders, so they deserve to be buried."

Gabriel said, "We better get moving." He picked up his rifle and said, "Let's go, Rick. We have warned the others about the army. I am bringing my group with me when we leave. Is that alright?"

"There are plenty of empty places around Adair and the mountain. We need each other to win this war. Get your supplies and your people." She smiled at Rick, "Be careful out there".

Rick grinned back, "See you later, my ex-wife." They hurried off and Carol turned to the others.

"Jesse and Emily will be with the walker/bomb group. Morgan, Daryl, and I are going to throw some bombs on the other side. Any questions?" Carol knew that Jesse could manage from there. Carol wasn't a micromanager. They would change the plan if they need to.

Morgan and Daryl were still sulking but the chance to throw bombs was always good. The next hour was a blur of preparations. Carol hugged Emily and Jesse goodbye. "I know that you two will get his done. Abe will help. I love you." She hugged John and Greg goodbye, "Don't get so excited that you forget to jump off now. You stick with the plan, you hear me?" she warned.

The two boys were scared enough to reassure her that they would follow whatever final plan that Jesse would come up with.

Michonne drove the Tahoe home. Carl and Arya went with her. Carl wanted to stay but he loved Michonne too much to let her go alone. Elijah insisted on Beth going home. She had been throwing up all morning. They had enough fuel and Carl would drive part of the way. Carol saw Michonne cuddling her children tonight at home and waved happily after them.

Carol, Emily, and Jesse took a short walk around the farm that they had settled in. It was remote and they would only be there an hour while they got ready. They would separate after this and Carol wouldn't see them again until they reunited at the rendezvous point. Carol could see the barn that Eugene was using as his laboratory. Tara was walking toward the barn. "That man needs laid and she shouldn't distract him while he is working with explosives," Jesse commented. The other two laughed but they all felt a little sorry for Eugene and his unrequited lust for Tara.

Eugene was mixing chemicals carefully inside the barn when Tara came in. "Are you finished yet?" she asked.

"You don't want me to rush this. Now take your large breasts out of here so that I can devote myself to building an instrument of destruction." Eugene didn't look up from his work. "I am going to save you today. So prepare yourself to fulfill your part of our wager".

Tara frowned, "Building these bombs doesn't count. You would have to actually save me personally for it to count. I think I will save you and you can finally get it through your brilliant but thick skull that I am not going to have sex with you."

Eugene finished what he was doing, "Carol would have slept with the General to keep Rick alive. Don't act as if it would take a tremendous amount of effort for you to lie there and show disinterest in what I am doing to your body. I am not some pervert. The missionary position and your inert body will work for me." He washed his hands with soap and water. "I have not been noted for my endurance in the past so it will be over fairly soon. I am not wearing protection either. So you be prepared for the onslaught of millions of tiny wiggling sperms searching for one of your eggs. I find that thought as delightful as you find it repulsive."

Tara said, "I did hear the gossip that Carol was going to take one for the team so to speak. Wonder how Daryl felt about that?"

"Initially Daryl would be furious but he would recognize that Carol was doing it to save Rick. He would be hurt because he hadn't protected her but he would understand. I am so relieved that she didn't have to do it." Eugene wanted to go home suddenly. "I miss the children. I miss my family altogether."

Tara helped him gather everything together so that it could be transported to the truck. "You are happy in your home aren't you?"

"Yes, I get a little lonely sometimes but I have people around me who genuinely love me." Eugene closed up the containers. He hugged her close. "Be careful out there, Tara." He turned away, "Go and get some help. These containers are heavy."

Carol, Daryl, Elijah, and Morgan left with some container and rocket bombs that Gabriel's group had been willing to share. Apparently some of the good folks of Allenvale County had stockpiled all sorts of weapons that would be useful in case of an apocalypse. Didn't work out for them but the weapons still worked.

Daryl had an idea and they maneuvered themselves to the equipment building that he had met Jesse in a day ago. They were all sweating despite the chill by the time they got there. The fog was very heavy along the river and it provided good cover for them. Daryl had seen a piece of equipment there that might be useful and Elijah looked it over and tinkered with it a bit and it worked. They risked everything and moved it closer to the town but the fog obscured them from view. They hid their machine in some thick bushes. Carol and Daryl moved the container bombs to different places. Morgan and Eugene were manning the homemade rocket launcher which might blow up in their face. They were delivering their bombs and then running to a suv that they had left ready to go close by.

Carol kept getting glimpses of the other two groups. Gabriel and Rick had cut a tree down to block the highway. The trucks would stop to remove the tree thinking that a storm must have brought it down. They had their people ready. The soldiers had left a grader out there to cover the bodies when they were finished. They had genocide down to a science.

Emily was waiting on the other side of town with Abe. The mountain men were in fixed positions so that they could provide cover for the others. Jesse was driving the vehicle that was carrying the bombs to the boys. They were waiting at the spot. The boys were staying just ahead of the walkers and they would speed up when they go closer. That would give Jesse and Eugene time to unload the container bombs. Eugene would mix in the catalyst chemical and he and Jesse would drive along beside the truck. The boys would set the vehicle on cruise control and fix the steering wheel on a path to hit the barricade. The boys would jump out and run to Jesse's truck. Their getaway vehicles were ready. The fog was lifting and they were all terrified that truckloads of soldiers would be headed their way any second.