CHAPTER 29:
Martinez was trying to stay calm; he wanted to shout at the girl from her shrieking that echoed all throughout the woods. He didn't bother answering her question, "Oh God. Why did you do that Every Walker in the area is going to find us now?" Having a small amount of attitude in his voice, and not bothering to hide it either.
"Don't even try to make me feel bad. We're enemies." She slowly stood up, having one hand on her back pocket, making sure she could yank out her weapon if need be.
"Enemies?" He slumped his shoulder, appearing almost disappointed. "I saved your ass, do you not remember?" It was time for him to put the charm on. "After you guys made it out of there, it inspired me to look for somewhere else to go." The once hardheaded Latino man now seemed different?
"So that's what you're doing out here?" Rachel wasn't sure how to feel at this point, or if to keep going on her adventure. Why would Martinez even bother trying to communicate her?
"Why are you out here?" The man was very good at asking questions but not wanting to answer any of them. "Where's your dogs?" He smiled a toothy grin.
The brothers had seemed to calm down, these Dixions were fine one minute, but then were trying to rip each other apart the next. They had a very difficult relationship for others to understand; being explosive one minute, and then calm and decent the next. It was never were it should be. They stuck together though, because that's all they had. Mother died from a fire in her house, when Daryl was younger, and Merle was off causing trouble. And his father was as good as dead the abusive bastard.
Daryl looked at his brother, and he hated this, but; Merle did inherit the physical abusive side of his father. Always wanting to solve conflicts with being aggressive rather than being assertive, this is how Daryl tried to be. Though the rednecks usually got their way no matter what though, they were very persuasive in that aspect.
"You's lucky I'm still around little bro." The one armed man smiled and put his machine like arm around his brother's neck. "I made you's the man you are today.
Daryl gave a half a smirk, but didn't know how to actually react to it. Because yes, he did have a temper lately, and was harsher than how he had been for a long time. "Heh, yeah…" He lost his train of thoughts as he heard something in the distance…
An ear piercing, high pitched scream! It made his skin crawl, as he pulled out one of his arms to signal to Merle to stop moving. The birds that were in the high branches of the trees became startled and flapped their wings to soar away from the sound.
Merle looked around, eyes going one direction then the other. "Why'd you stop?"
He scuffed, "C'mon bro. Ya heard that, I know's ya did."
"Ha, someone is biter chow." Making a almost mocking gesture, the older brother put his hand up to his ear and laughed, "Sounds like a broad. Damn that coulda been a fine one too." After a moment he shrugged and laughed, telling his brother to keep going.
"Well why don't we's go an' find out." Daryl turned around towards the other direction, and waved for his brother to follow him.
"Naw, little brotha, I don't think so. I don't know who it is; I ain't riskin' my ass for anymore strangers." He mumbled, 'Y'all already got me to leave Woodbury, where at least there I had shelter." He shook his head roughly, "No way baby brotha, you's can do that all by yo'self."
Daryl had no time to argue, this may be his softer side coming in, as Merle would refer to it. But to him, well recently, it seemed like second nature to go and help anyone that needed it. And hearing the scream, this person, sounding like a woman, sure did need help. "Right fine, guess you're scared."
Hearing his brother differ with what he had said about him, he gave a grin and started to walk off. He knew that would get his brother to come, but he was hard headed and would come with only if he got something out of it.
Martinez had helped Rachel to her feet, and watched her shiver from the breeze that had come through. Shivering and holding her shoulders, Rachel didn't know what to do, what this man really away from Woodbury, for real? That's what he had told her, "The Governor has lost it, I managed to get out of there just a few hours after your assault on the town."
"No, no, it was not an assault." She tried to explain in between her chatters. "You kidnapped Maggie and Glenn…"
Fiddling with his weapon, Martinez gave off a cheesy smile, "That was Merle."
"So now where are you headed too?" She knew the truth that it really was Merle's idea; after all he was looking for herself, and Michonne.
"Not sure," The man shrugged, "You're welcome to come with." Turning around the darker skinned man had pointed his weapon at a few walkers that were slowly closing in on them. "I'll watch over you. Make sure nothing bad happens." He turned around quickly and winked as he watched her pull out a knife from her back pocket. "Since that dumbass redneck couldn't protect you or your dog…"
Stopping as she was about to attack a female walkers coming within distance of her, Rachel couldn't help but wonder how he knew that. How did he know that the redneck, Daryl was there to save her? And how did he know about Sage?
Noticing he said something to sink in her brain, he was luring her in. Quickly coming to her aid, he put the strap of his gun to the side, and had grabbed his axe and pounded it into the walker's skull. "Step back, I'll get it." He sarcastically responded, "Again."
Rachel did as she was told her eyes off into space; her train of thought was completely off. This man would offer her security, and he did back at Woodbury. "Why did you save me?"
In between swinging at the walkers, he was a little taken back. He had to think quickly, making a grunt as he dodged one of the biters clawing attempts. "I don't think what the Gov is doing is right. So I left, this world is not what it used to be." He looked over his shoulder and saw that she was starting to help with the walkers. "I mean think about it, not a whole lot of us left. And we don't need to worry about us, those that are still alive coming after people and trying to gun 'em down."
He was making some sense, Rachel jabbed a younger man in the bottom of his neck. Shielding her face from the blood splattering everywhere. "Alone though? No one followed you?"
"Nope. I told Gov I was going on a scouting mission. I did at first, but I ain't going back. There's nothing really there for me." Beheading another walker he saw the coast was clear for now. "Your screaming must have attracted a few stragglers." Eyeing her he walked a few steps forward. "Like I said, you're more than welcome to come with. I mean I don't see anyone else. Whose going to protect you?"
She looked at the man, he was real good looking! His arms were massive, he must have been addicted to the gym before all of this apocalypse crap happened. She could tell at one point, he may have been almost cocky, one of those guys that knew they looked good. But she didn't see that type of attitude to much. And his voice, maybe it was him being Latino, he had the Latin charm to him. This had interested her that through all this, guys still tried to flirt and work their charm on women.
She didn't respond to his question, she just looked the other way, looking up at the sky. She looked like she was holding back years. "I'll take care of you, come with me." Worried was written all over her face, he did save her before. "Oh I know." He pointed to his gun, "You think I'm going to try something. No girl, what do I have to gain from that?" Rubbing his chin, he had a charming smile on him.
"Uhh…" She tried to think of something. But he was right, what good would that do him? He had weapons, so he didn't need hers; she looked to be an emotional wreck right now.
"The choice is yours sweetheart." He winked at her and came just a foot away from her, holding her shoulders. "But know this your safe with me."
Daryl and Merle had started to see figures, a good distance away from them still, but the shadows of them were visible. Merle had much dispute about coming with, and Daryl didn't really give a flying fuck. He was trying to do what was right, and if his brother couldn't understand that, well so be it.
"'Ey look!" Daryl punched his brother in the stomach to get his attention, "They standin' up right, I don't think they're walkers."
Merle looked at his brother as he winched from getting punched in the gut. "Well good for 'em. What should we do bake 'em a fucking cake?"
Daryl snorted, "Hah, nowadays it's rare to not be one. So yeah maybe we should." He continued to walk towards the people; a few walkers were closing in from behind them, and he didn't think that tey noticed that. Because of having their backs to them, and starting to walk slowly towards the opposite direction. "C'mon!" Looking back he saw Merle was squinting his eyes at the figures and was walking lopsided, "Merle!" He whispered but nearly hissed, "Ya be lookin' like a drunken idiot."
"Shit, I wish."
Watching the shadow figures; getting closer he could tell one was a female and the other was a male. But couldn't see anything to identify if he knew either one. Daryl readied her weapon, and aimed for one of the two walkers approaching the two humans.
Hearing a zipping sound, Rachel looked back and was surprised she fell to the ground, as the dead figure nearly fell on top of her. "Aahhh! Get this thing off of me!" The walker was dead; he had an arrow sent right through his head, and was dead upon the arrow impacting it, just seconds ago.
Shoving the man off of her, Martinez lent a hand to get her up; while doing so, he was told that the figure had managed to hurt her leg. This walker was a big guy, severely over weight, and his massive body nearly flattened her, but had hurt her legs the most. "Stupid guy." Complaining as she rubbed her legs. She needed to sit down on the ground and just give them a minute, and rub the pain out of them.
Martinez bent down, and held one of her legs in his arms; stretching the muscle while she lied on her back. "This may help." He never really stopped smiling, which kind of struck the girl as odd. Because there was nothing to really be this cheerful about.
Daryl looked at Merle as they were hiding behind some trees, and pointed to the man, "That idiot ain't he from Woodbury?" Good thing their trees were right next to each other, because his voice was a little loud. Merle looked around the corner from his plant, and saw it sure was; Martinez.
"Yep." Taking a look again he heard a girl's voice, "Hmm, and he got you're good looking broad near him too, look."
Daryl followed his brother's actions, and saw that she was able to stand up again, with assistance of course. And Martinez became awful close to her, but on her face she looked warily of him being that close…
"We got's ta get 'em."
"Trust me lil bro, I ain't ever liked that Spanish fag." He smiled, "Let's go."
Daryl looked confused, he didn't think it was going to be that easy to convince Merle of the plan, he wasn't sure if he should ask why, but he did anyways, "Why?"
Merle looked back at the two, "Because she means somethin' to you's, I can't figure out why…" He looked at his brother to the side of him, "Y'know, he's the one responsible for your mutt dyin' though." He could see Daryl's face almost morph into something hideous, "I thought you's knew tha' bro."
He could he know that? He was already over the wall, Sage and Xavier were the last ones bringing up the rear, and Rick was the last actual person to get through the cracks. Without saying another word, Daryl prepped his weapon to fire…
"No, bro, the Gov may be around, don't kill 'em." Odd because as Merle stated he didn't like Martinez, but he was trying to think logical. Both men, Martinez and the Governor were not stupid, and the first lieutenant of Woodbury almost seemed to have a hidden agenda.
The arrow slid through the weapon and shot out, killing the other walker creeping behind the women and man. Rachel nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard a groaning sound from the now dead walker. "Daryl?"
"Go to Merle, now." He didn't know what Rachel's plan was in this whole thing, he knew she would never harm Sage, but was she a spy for Woodbury? Was everything she said since she's been back a lie? Did she ask Merle and Michonne to cover for her? So many questions, but first he needed to deal with Martinez.
"Put the weapon down bro." Martinez may be a charmer, but he had a rugged side to him, almost a little thuggish part to him.
"I ain't your bro." He held on tightly as he quickly adjusted his bows into the crossbow. "Where are the others? Huh?"
Merle ran after his brother, and saw him tugging on Rachel's arm, "I told ya to get back by Merle." He took one eye off of Martinez for only a second, "Merle take 'er somewhere, I'll join ya two after I deal with this son of a bitch! This animal killer!"
"Animal killer?" Martinez couldn't help but chuckle, "That's a good one man, real nice." The ethnic man looked at Rachel, "Come on we don't need to deal with these ass holes, I will protect you." He pointed at her arm, "Look he's trying to drag you somewhere. Remember what Merle did to you back at Woodbury."
Merle cocked his head, "'Ey bro, I got this one, you step back and take your girl! Me and this dirty Mexican got our own beef."
The girl had no idea what to do; Daryl had never really hurt her feelings before today, well back on the farm. But he had apologized no long after that; and she learned if you receive an apology from Daryl to treasure it. Because it was obvious, that didn't happen much. Getting the courage to speak, she added, "You did ask how Sage was. How would you know that?"
A/N: I'm sure in every Chapter I will be thanking Kwiff, so once again for your help. Sorry everyone, I plan to be a lot better with updating, stressful week in a half. I'm thinking of putting chaper 30 and at least 31 together when I post it, so that should be extra long. Maybe chapter 32 as well.