Chapter Summary:

Will Abe and his group's protection/training push Carol too far?

The plans to keep Carol and Sophia safe began immediately. While Merle was probably still driving to his house with Sophia, Carol's training was already being discussed. It was not going well, beginning with an argument upon Carol hearing about the planned gun training.

"No guns for me Daryl."

"But . . ."

"No. No guns. Show me any other weapons you want, but I refuse to have a gun on me in the house with Sophia."

Sighing, but knowing he had to work with her comfort level, Daryl nodded in agreement. He hated that Negan and Abe were watching them with shit eating grins on their faces. Damn, he was never gonna hear the end of how fast he caved in front of his woman.

"Fine. I will think of something else for ya to use. Let me talk to Abe awhile and figure out where we wanna start."

"Good. I am going to go to get dinner started. I am making chicken and potatoes with gravy so everybody can eat. When it's in the oven, I will be all yours for an hour. Anybody who wants to eat. It will be ready in an hour and a half." With that, she left the room, needing the distraction of cooking to ingest the turn in events.

When Carol turned and left, Abe did not give Negan a chance to razz Daryl. Instead, he immediately began to bark orders to his comrades in protection.

"Milton. Go pull all gun registrations for Ed Peletier. Find out if he is legally packing, and if so what he uses. Then report to Eugene for further instruction and assist him in the next step."

Milton nodded and set up his laptop on the coffee table.

"Eugene. Daryl installed a security system here. Get the specs from him then eyeball the setup. Find any area not covered. Re-secure the area and then see if we need hidden cameras. Mic areas if warranted need to be considered as well. If you deem the equipment necessary, the backup needs to go to me, you, and Milton. Secondary backup to the cloud should go to the rest of our team. Then take Milton and get some eyes on Peletier and his vehicle. Consider viability and placement of any equipment. Mics, cameras, trackers; whatever you can discreetly do should be considered fully."

Eugene immediately got the code and rundown on the security system from Daryl, then left to proceed with his inspections.

"Rosita. Evaluate the need for some of your chemicals and trips around the property. No traps yet. Ed is not allowed within a mile of here, so we wanna know if he's lurking first before setting traps. That tree line behind the house is my best guess of a hidden entry point for him. He can't know they are there though, so do that innocuous shit you are so good at."

Rosita responded to Abe by kissing him quickly, then making her way out the door to the yard.

"Negan. You are tasked to become Peletier's shadow. You will make friends with him. Drink with him. Loosen his lips and bait him into talking about Carol and Sophia. Do not engage wirh him. You cannot go off on him until he fucks up. No fighting. No scaring him yet. In the event he reveals plans or behavior harmful to Daryl's family, call me. Then I promise you can scare the shit out of him. For now, go sit surveillance outside. Let us know if anybody shows up or is watching."

Negan grumbled, and made to leave, but Abe stopped him.

"For Christ's sake, leave your damn bat behind. You can't be seen by Ed yet if you need to buddy up with him. You certainly can't look like you want to beat his skull in yet either."

Negan shot Abe daggars, but did acquiesce to his orders. That left just Daryl and Abe still in the room. Abe looked curiously at the redneck before speaking.

"Real talk here Daryl. You know the drill, same as always - one to ten scale." Daryl nodded.

"Ed Peletier. Threat level?"

"Seven now based on his words and actions. Could get to ten if he gets more pissed or has a weapon."

"Sophia. Vulnerability level?"

"Was eight. Taught her some self-defense. Seven now. I can get her to a six though."

At Abe's quirked eyebrow, Daryl explained further. "Kid is wicked smart. Skipped a grade and is doing advanced work. She's a five year old doing work considered advanced for eight year olds. She's picked up my training fast. If we get her to read some stuff about training followed by actual physical training, she will pick it up real quick." Abe nodded uncertainly, then shook it off, returning to his questions.

"Carol. Training level?"

"Four before. Six now. She learns fast."

"Chance of talking her into a gun?"

"Zero. We gotta find another weapon for her to get comfortable with."

"That leaves few options. Remember, we gotta have her using something that is legal. Plus, if shit happens, it's gotta be something that is easily explainable as self-defense and why she is in possession of it."

"I know. She ain't strong enough to use my bow, and gettin' her own bow wouldn't look too great if she shot Ed in the ass with it. She ain't no recreational archer with shit laying around."

Abe nodded, and decided they should talk to Carol. Daryl led the way into the kitchen. They both stopped hard when they caught sight of her. She was chopping potatoes and onions into small pieces with a speed and skill to rival a professional chef. Her large knife was practically a blur. She hadn't noticed them yet. She swiped the potatoes into the casserole dish, then made very quick work of cutting and cleaning two chickens. It was very impressive, and Daryl thought it was kinda hot. Both men looked at each other, impressed and grinning. They knew Carol was going to need training, and her knives seemed the perfect weapon to train her with.

Carol turned, noticing them watching her.

"What? Daryl, why are you both staring at me?"

"The most realistic methods for fighting with and defending against edged weapons come from the Philippines. Real confrontations with blades are all too common in that Southeast Asian nation, and their fighting techniques have nothing to do with phony heroism and everything to do with survival." Abe read aloud to Carol from the website he had pulled up on his phone.

"So . . . are you seriously telling me to stab my ex husband!?"

"Not at all pretty lady. I am simply telling you this because I know their training methods in how to deflect and protect yourself from a knife attack. I will also show you how to non-lethally take out a threat with a knife."

He then continued reading.

"Of all the possible topics an instructor can misinform students about, defense against a knife attack is by far the most dangerous. Anyone who claims to be an expert with a knife and teaches blocking, empty-hand disarms and low horse stances might as well be teaching students to catch bullets in their teeth."

Carol turned to Daryl, looking confused, dazed, and afraid.

"So, if I accept this, you all are going to come at me with what . . .real knives?"

"No. I raided Soph's art supplies." He held up three red sharpies. "Just markers."

"The infrastructure for knife fighting is footwork. It allows you to maintain the correct distance between yourself and your opponent. Having a low stance with no footwork is like having a Ferrari with no wheels. Being able to quickly maneuver toward or away from your opponent is essential in any fighting scenario — but when he is pointing a knife at you, the necessity skyrockets." Abe continued reading.

"Footwork?"

"Yeah. Merle and I've been in enough fights. Footwork is key there too. I can redneck up the fancy lessons to show ya a thing or two too."

"Isn't this going a tad overboard?"

"Maybe, but if not you would be covered in case Ed comes at ya. You already are workin' on what to do if he grabs ya, gets ya in a car, and how to use everyday shit as weapons. This gives ya a further edge."

"Yeah, a knife edge. I don't like it Daryl."

"Listen for a minute sweetheart, please. This here is Georgia. Guns are everyday objects and easily gotten. What would ya do if Ed came at ya armed? If he grabbed Sophia? I'm not trying to scare ya over nothing. All this here is just preparing you for the 'just in case' stuff. If he has a gun, you get away if you can. We know not all can be solved with a knife against a gun, but it's gonna improve odds."

Huffing, she thought about it. She thought about Ed turning violent. Was is probable? No. Was it possible? Yes. She needed this protection. So, she reluctantly agreed by nodding her head.

So, Abe and Daryl began her training. They were focusing on footwork. They needed to make sure she could move lightly, be cat-like and constantly stick and move her steps. She listened while they explained that with sharp weapon in your hand, you do not need to plant your feet to do damage to your opponent. It is far more important to stay light and agile. Keeping an appropriate distance between herself and a would be attacker was thoroughly covered as well.

Rosita had by then joined the group, observing Carol's body language. She could tell Carol was not in love with the idea of having to train to possibly stab anybody – even in self-defense. So, she stopped the proceedings and walked over to her to talk.

"Listen. I get it. Knives are scary as hell. Until they save you. Look at me. I am tiny as hell, right? Do you think a woman my size could take down a 6 ft. tall 225 lb. man? I couldn't. That's the power my ex held over me. When I left him after he beat the shit outta me, I made it my business to know how to take him down. When he came after me again, I was ready. He still doesn't have full use of his right hand because of me."

Carol's questioning stare made her elaborate further."

"Trust me. One slice across the hand threatening you can take a man outta fighting condition permanently. Took 26 stitches to close up my ex's hand. If you cut your opponent's hand, you will instantly disarm him. It is physically impossible for him to punch, hold a knife, hold a gun, etc. when the tendons, muscles and ligaments responsible for controlling his hand are severed. Once you have defanged the snake, the snake is harmless; you then have the choice of killing it or letting it go. Then ya kick it in the balls for good measure."

Rosita turned to the men and told them to give the women some space. Then, Rosita picked up the instruction solo.

"Distance is key when a knife is in play. Too close means too easy for you to get injured. You need to fight when you have to, but stay out of punching and kicking range when you can. If your opponent also has a knife, you need to know that they can inflict the same damage to you."

The women worked together until they had about fifteen minutes before Carol's oven timer went off. Then, the men joined them again.

Daryl pulled Carol aside, speaking softly.

"Remember what I showed you and Soph? You know how to jab out with objects to hurt a man. Today won't be no different."

He held up the markers. We are gonna work on footwork to mimic a knife fight. You already are badass with a knife in the kitchen, but this here will demonstrate your abilities in fighting and your areas to train harder on. We are gonna start with just you and me. Ya gotta see how many red marker lines ya can make on me, and how many I can get on you while we go at each other. It's just us for now sweetheart."

She could see Daryl's point, and didn't want to fail. So she nodded and swore to herself to try her hardest.

As they joined the others and prepared to go one-on-one, Abe gave a bit of final instructions.

"These markers could be knives in real life. It will show us your strengths and weaknesses. This simple test will demonstrate what will be needed to be worked on further. Stay light on your feet, and don't hesitate. Begin!"

At first, Carol froze up at the physicality of Daryl coming at her; just like she had on their first day of training. After reassuring her, they began again and there was no room for hesitation. Carol had two red lines in her hands, one to her face, and one on her leg before she was pissed enough to really fight back. She delighted in each line she was able to leave on Daryl. By the time their five minute spar was over, they both had marker everywhere. Even though Daryl received far fewer 'wounds' than she had, Carol felt alive with the beginnings of the knowledge that she could protect herself. She could do this. She could help keep her little girl safe.

Her oven timer dinging coincided with the return of Negan, Eugene and Milton to the home. She herded everybody inside and got to work putting the finishing touches on dinner.

She removed the potatoes, chicken and onions from the oven. The onions had turned wonderfully translucent as planned. She removed them and placed them in some cheesecloth. She removed the broth and drippings from the chicken and put them in a small pot. She then squeezed the onions juices through the cheesecloth to drizzle over the baked chicken. She returned the chicken to the oven to stay warm and crisp up a bit while she whipped the oven steamed potatoes that had gained flavor by being cooked alongside the chicken. The potatoes were kept warm while she made a gravy from the drippings.

Finished, she turned to place all the food on the table. She was pleased to see all her dinner guests eagerly awaiting the promised home cooked meal.

"I am so glad you all were able to get back in time to eat" she said.

Rosita snorted. "Are you kidding me? You said you had food. You said when it would be ready. These assholes don't ever turn down the chance at a home cooked meal."

Food was passed and compliments to the chef were abundant. While they were eating, each team member reported their respective task's results as Abe asked.

"Rosita?"

"Before I joined you all, I scoped out the property. There are multiple trees out back where we can place clear trip wires. We need them to be high enough where no squirrels can get at 'em from walking on the ground. I suggest the thin clear ones for easy breakage. We need to know if somebody's back there, but that person can't realize they tripped up anything. Also, I recommend placing them near areas we can keep water in. Dig a bit within distance of visible lawn sprinklers. Keep up an appearance of small puddles. I will leave some jugs of chemically treated water. After watering the lawn, top the puddles off with that. It will have clear, odorless, ultra violet dye in it. I can see any shoe prints with my black light then. Plus, it will soak into shoes and isn't easily washed off. If we have cause to believe Ed broke the protection order, Andrea and the cops will know how to use the prints and dye for evidence and a search warrant for the shoes."

"Milton?"

"Ed Peletier has the necessary paperwork filed for gun ownership. He registered a pistol 64 days ago for target shooting. According to a will on file to the court, he also inherited two hunting rifles from his father upon his death. He has no hunting license however on file. I then assisted Eugene, whose report should be adequate on it's own."

Carol spoke up at that. "Ed hated hunting. His dad made him go in high school, but he never pursued it further. Those hunting rifles just collect dust. When we were married, he had talked about target shooting, but hadn't yet. I guess that has changed." She looked at Daryl, who then nodded at Abe to contunue.

"Eugene?"

"First of all, thank you ma'am for the stellar eats you have chosen to share with our motley crew. Second of all, in relation to the security system, Daryl did a thorough job. I however implore further security measures. The attached garage is accessible right now from outside in three ways; the stereotypical garage door opener, a remote keypad, and the back service door. I request the back service door be further fortified and security cameras placed inside the garage with one at the main garage door, and one at the back service door. It is my belief that this is necessary if the vehicle's remote opener is stolen or the keypad code is breached. In addition, the door leading from the garage to the house should be tied into the alarmed security system."

Daryl and Abe nodded, agreeing with the plan before Abe continued.

"I suggest hidden mics be placed alongside exterior cameras. I can wire them to be turned on and off along with the security system. I highly advise that the system be armed even while Daryl, Carol, and the child are home. As for Ed Peletier, Milton and I observed his travels briefly. He left his residence and traveled to the local watering hole where he remained. I will impart that location to Negan so he can chum up to the man in the near future. I recommend a simple external tracking device on his car. As well, while I am not above recommending a little B&E, I feel it fortuitous to get somebody other than myself to place a mic in the interior of his car. An external tap of his home phone and access to cell phone calls is however something I would recommend and plan to execute myself."

"When did my life turn into a spy movie?" Carol wondered.

Abe turned to her. "I know it seems like a lot, but trust us. Especially when you hear what Negan told me earlier."

All eyes turned to the man in question.

"Ed did not show up. But somebody was driving by a few times. I took the plate and description while I was watching from the next cul-de-sac. Milton confirmed it. Phillip Blake was scoping things out."

"Phillip Blake? I know he is Ed's lawyer, but why the hell is he showing up driving by driving by my house?" Carol was imploring everybody in the room for an answer. It was Milton who finally responded.

"Phillip Blake has a lot of secrets. His wife supposedly left a year after giving birth to his daughter. There has always been questions and suspicions about that, given that she was a devoted mother to their daughter Penny. He is also on the take. He is a crooked lawyer called into service for those who can pay to make their criminal and civil charges go away. He is also a man with both a drinking and a gambling problem. He tends to share those activities with others who have secrets to hide. He scratches their backs in court, and they keep quiet about the secrets he divulges while drinking. If my memory serves me correctly, he has represented Ed Peletier in the past." He said that last sentence while looking at Carol.

"So that's how Ed was able to get Phillip to perjure himself when he got off on the charges I didn't know about. He presented to the court my father had died, but he had been dead for years!"

"Exactly. He helps Ed, and Ed keeps Phillip's secrets. No matter how big the problem is, Phillip has to cover for Ed." The bespectacled man looked sick as the unspoken implications hit Carol.

"Including getting Ed what he wants, right? No matter what, as long as his secrets are kept? Even at the cost of Sophia or I?"

"No matter what. No matter at what cost." Milton's face fell as his statement settled around them like a leaden balloon.

End Notes:

Abe's reading/training comes from an article on knife fight training in Black Belt Magazine.