Gooffy- Thanks for the review, hope you like this one too!
Blaszczu2500- The future for the group as well as Woodbury is very up in the air right now, I mean Larry, Logan are both down, Jeff and Stevens are extra survivors, only time will tell what happens!
SuperSonicHeros- Glad and super thankful you took the time to write a review, and happy that you liked the chapter! Stevens was a big favorite of mine and with the extra survivors around I figured there was no realistic reason that he had to get killed off so soon. Also, thanks for the reminder got that all updated on my profile.
Sokol848- The war to come is going to be quite fun, I'm going to enjoy using so many extra characters with the Crawford survivors as well as the extra telltale survivors at the prison. Not only that, glad to see a lot of love for Stevens! I hope people will like to see more of the old surgeon.
Jestalnaker94000- Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I intend to use Alice in a lot of scenes, as well as Stevens, I always liked their duo so we'll be seeing more of them both!
Thedarkpokemaster- Jeff and Martinez are going to be involved heavily in the future chapters, so you'll see exactly what they'll be up to soon.
Midnightrebellion86- Well, glad to know they despite the story following the comics closely at this point, I've gained your attention as a fan! In the future of the story I do intend on following some events from the game as well, so hopefully you'll enjoy those chapters when they show up as well!
Storylover580- Wow, I truly appreciate the reviews on all the previous chapters! I love that you've been liking the story through all the twists and turns and I hope that you enjoy where I take it from here! Also, when it comes to Larry, I agree, he's a serious hardass but it's out of fear for his daughter, if he knew the truth that wrath would have been on Oberson and The Governor.
Enjoy
Chapter 26: Let's Go Home
Tyreese and Mark sprinted back towards the entrance of cell block C, the pair covered head to toe in blood smeared riot gear. "On your left!" Mark shouted out causing Tyreese to turn and let out a skull shattering smack with his hammer to a walker. "Doors, doors!" Mark screamed out while waving his arms wildly. Just then, two clean shots rang out taking down another two shamblers in their pathway from the roof above.
"Damn, didn't want them to have to waste the ammo," Tyreese grunted out as he and Mark both reached the cell block doors which quickly cracked open letting them slip inside. Axel wasted no time in slamming the heave metal doors shut behind the pair and latched them closed just as the dead gathered around them, starting to smack their bodies against them
"No luck?" Axel asked the two men as they took off their helmets and tossed them to the floor,
"They're too many of them," Mark grunted in frustration, "We probably took out two dozen just trying to get up the yard, but A-Block is just fucking surrounded,"
"I knew I should have fucking brought everything from the armory back here," Tyreese added on with a near snarl, "I'm fucking idiot,"
"Relax man, that's not your fault, none of us could have imagined something like this happening," Mark jumped in with a calming tone, "We'll just have to keep trying, maybe we can somehow rig up a distraction," He said with an optimistic tone,
"Yeah...come on we should talk to the others," Tyreese finished, "Axel, keep an eye on the doors, I doubt they'll break in but I'm done taking chances,"
"After what happened to Chuck, I couldn't agree more, you follow me?" Axel agreed in a sullen tone,
Tyreese and Mark both headed back into the heart of the cell block where the rest of the group was gathered around, minus Billy and Carly. Hershel stood up immediately, the elder now sporting a sling and a wrapped up arm, "What happened?"
"Listen everyone, Mark and I tried to slip through the horde outside but they're numbers are too great, we damn near got cornered and as of now, getting to the armory in A-Block is next to impossible," Tyreese explained the group,
"So you're saying that we're screwed?" Molly scoffed with a frown,
"No, we're not saying that at all," Tyreese instantly replied, "We're just going to need to think about something else,"
"Think of something else?! We're trapped in here!" Maggie exclaimed,
"Hey, calm down, you're scaring the kids," Julie abruptly interjected,
"We're all a little freaked right now, Jules," Ben said with a shrug while crossing his arms,
Julie glared over at her boyfriend and frowned, "Of course we are, but that's not what the kids need to hear right now!" Julie snapped back before turning back and picking up Ben and Billy, "Clem, Duck, come with me," She sharply said causing the children to scamper off with the woman,
As Julie left, Doug spoke up, "Any sign or Dale, Andrea, or Chuck?" He asked with a hopeful tone,
"No, we didn't get near the RV, and we didn't see any sight of the old man," Mark replied causing Doug to lower his head sadly,
"Listen, we're not giving up hope, not on anything. We'll figure a way out of here, we'll find Dale, Andrea, and Chuck, then Rick and the others will be back!" Tyreese said in pure belief of his statement. A silence lingered from the others, however, despite wanting to believe Tyreese, in their current situation it was hard to believe.
"Hey Doug, want to come up to the roof with us? We want to figure out an idea on how to get to A-Block, we could use your brain," Mark said with a half smile,
"Sure," Doug sullenly replied as he turned and headed out towards the roof access.
Tyreese and Mark followed Doug out of the cell block and quickly found their way to a ladder that led up to the roof. As the trio reached the roof, Billy and Carly came jogging over, "Hey, sorry for taking the shots but you guys caused so much attention that horde was almost on top of you," Billy explained while slinging his rifle over his shoulder,
"It's okay guys, it was probably for the best, how many more shots do you have left?" Tyreese asked back,
"Billy only has about ten more shots in his pockets for that rifle, splitting up what we had between me and whoever is watching the door, we only have two clips," Carly explained, "Me and Clem were moving into B-block so that's where the rest of my ammo went, and Andrea took the duffel bag with her out to the tower,"
"Jesus…" Mark sighed, "I knew it was fucking bad, but not that bad,"
"Don't think like that, we can figure something out," Tyreese quickly replied, "Doug, what are you thinking?"
Doug looked up at the athlete for a moment then let out a small smile, "Well I do have a few ideas, but we'd only have one shot to make it work,"
"Hey, one shot is better than no shot," Billy said with a short chuckle,
"In that case, I'll continue," Doug smirked, "If the lot of us we're to go to the far side of the building and make some noise, shoot some walkers, that would start to drive the herd towards them. Then, one of you, whichever you'd decide should run out the front door, Carly and Billy cover them to the best of their abilities while they make a straight shot right to A-Block's door. I know the person won't be able to bring back a lot on their own but going in a pair will cause too much attention,"
"He's got a point, Mark and I only got five yards out before they all starting swarming," Tyreese said in agreement, "And if we're all making noise, throwing whatever we can down on them, I think it might work,"
"You want me to go?" Mark immediately offered, "I know I'm not as strong as you Tye, but you know I'm fast,"
Tyreese looked back at Mark, rubbing the back of his head for a long minute before letting out a long sigh, "Are you sure?" The jet mechanic let out an instant nod, "Alright, you probably do have the best chance here Mark,"
"I agree, we appreciate you taking this chance for us Mark," Carly wholeheartedly added on,
"Heh, hey, I always got your backs," Mark said with a weak laugh before showing a slight nerve up, "Uh, Billy, how's it looking out there, they starting to spread out again?" He quickly asked the teen who was standing back towards the edge of the roof, "Billy?"
"You see that?" The teen merely asked back to the group,
"See what?" Carly replied while the four moved to the edge as well,
"Look, in that tower, see it?" Billy answered while pointing to the front right gate tower,
The others all leaned forward and squinted trying to see what Billy was seeing only to see a suddenly glint, "The hell?" Tyreese scoffed as the glint reflected some sun into his eyes,
"Someone's trying to signal us!" Doug exclaimed, "It's gotta be Andrea and Dale! Quickly we need to figure out a way to contact them!"
"How the hell are we going to do that?" Mark asked back causing the group to each stop and start to think.
Back inside Woodbury, Michonne and The Governor stared one another down, the latter peering out the corner of his eye at Michonne's Katana, which sat only a few feet away on the floor. Michonne immediately followed the man's eyes and noticed the blade only seconds before The Governor lunged for the blade. "No!" Michonne boomed out while charging the Governor himself and kicking him across the face, sending the man stumbling of course.
The Governor got to his hands and knees and shook his head, trying to snap off the ringing in his ears. Michonne calmly reached her katana and picked up, she glanced over in time to see The Governor stand up, wiping the dripping blood from his lip before sprinting after her. With precision she shoved her boot right into the man's crotch, sending him back to the floor, only this time vomiting in pain. The african american woman lifted her blade, hovering it over The Governor's heaving head but hesitated, "No, I don't want it to be quick...I don't want it to be over," Michonne softly stated in a cryptic tone,
"Fuck you!" The Governor roared while suddenly jumping up and bringing Michonne to the ground as well. The pair rolled around on the ground, Michonne's katana clattering a few feet away. The Governor pinned the woman down below him and immediately reached for the blade only for Michonne to spring forward and bite down on his neck, ripping out a small chunk of flesh while pushing him off her, "F-Fucking bitch!" The Governor stammered out while holding his bleed wound only for Michonne to pick up her blade and smash the hilt into his forehead until he finally blacked out.
Meanwhile outside of Woodbury, Rick and the others worked their way back towards the prison. Just as the group reached the entrance to the forest of the helicopter crash Rick spoke up,"The sun is starting to go down already, and we're not even halfway there,"
"How far is this place?" Jeff asked while slowly spinning around as he walked, scanning the treeline,
"Not exactly sure on foot, we got through the first half in a car," Kenny gruffly explained, "Never shoulda kept going afterwards,"
"Can't change what happened Kenny, no use dwelling on it," Lee sternly stated, "There's a million things I wish I could've changed now but it's no use thinking on it,"
Kenny looked back to Lee and let out an understanding nod, "I know pal, I know...it's been a hell of a few days is all,"
"Tell me about it," Rick muttered in agreement while holding at his stump,
"Doc, you're awfully quiet over there, need us to stop and take a breather?" Martinez asked,
"I'm fine, Caesar, let's just keep moving, the sooner we're safe the better," The surgeon nearly snapped back at the man,
"Alright, easy Doc, I'm just trying to help," Martinez replied in some shock at the usual soft spoken man,
"Doctor Stevens, are you sure you're okay?" Alice gently asked the man while moving a bit closer to him,
The doctor let out a let exhale and shook his head irritably before looking off, tempted to say nothing for a moment. However, after almost two minutes of silence he replied, "I nearly died Alice, I know we've always been in danger, that this world was a deathtrap for all of us but that really put it into perspective. All our days are numbered and I'm already sixty-two Alice, my time is lesser than anyone else here," The elder explained,
"That's not true, Doc," Jeff instantly interjected causing the pair to look up at the biker, "We're all living on borrowed time these days, just because you're sixty-two and I'm thirty-three doesn't mean shit anymore. I could die tomorrow and you could live another twenty years, we just don't know."
"He's got a point, we all need to treat every day like it's our last, not dwell on what could be and what should have been," Rick said in agreement. Alice looked back to Doctor Stevens who merely lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought before the older man glanced over to Alice and gave her a reassuring smile.
Back at Woodbury, hours had passed and The Governor began to stir as he heard Michonne's voice, "Wake up, asshole," The man weakly opened his eyes only to find himself in a horrifically ironic situation. Michonne was knelt in front of him while he was stripped naked, mouth duct taped, and arms tied to opposite walls, "Finally, I thought you were never going to wake up. You passed out a second time when I nailed your prick to the board, remember that? I wouldn't do much moving if I was you," Michonne added on with a dark grin causing The Governor to flicker his eyes down at the grisly scene.
"Don't worry about you're little sex slave, or whatever the hell you keep that walker here for, I shoved her into the closet. But I don't want to even know what you're using her for, I'm anxious to get started again. Let's begin with some show and tell, I've planned out everything I want to use and do to you before you die. First up, pliers," Michonne replied while lifting up a pair of metal pliers, "Next up, we'll go back to the hammer, then the acetylene torch, you used it for cooking and so will I." Michonne then lifted up a simple spoon but glared at The Governor coldly, "You're going to love what I'm going to do with this. Last, we have the electric drill, full battery too, I think I'll start with this."
Michonne flicked the power drill on and held down on the trigger letting the bit spin around wildly while slowly moving to The Governor's right arm. The man's eyes were wide and he gave Michonne a pitifully fearful look before the woman began to drill into his flesh. A spurt of blood flew out and The Governor howled out in pain but Michonne didn't hesitate to pull the drill out and dig right back in again. Over and over, Michonne drilled into The Governor's arm until the man finally passed out from pain once again. Tossing the drill to the side Michonne picked up the roll of duct tape next to her and did a crude patch job on the multiple bleeding holes in his arms.
"Wake up!" Michonne snapped out while slapping The Governor awake. With sweat pouring off his face he looked up at Michonne once again, only to see her holding pliers now, "You're going to love this," Michonne smirked.
The black woman quickly knelt down to The Governor's right hand and pulled off a fingernail, then another, and another, all the while the man screamed out as loud as he could through the gag of duct tape over his mouth. Michonne toss the pliers down, "That arm is ruined now, just ruined," Michonne chastised the man while walking over and grabbing her katana. Without hesitation Michonne spun around towards The Governor and severed his right arm off, just above the elbow. The Governor screamed out, this time not in pain, the shock protected him from that, rather it was in pure horror.
"Don't worry, I can stop the bleeding," Michonne almost grinned while picking up the acetylene torch and lighting it.
Back with the Woodbury escapees, the group continued to work their way through the woods but the sun was rapidly starting to disappear, "God, we're nowhere near close to the prison," Lee sighed, "And I don't know the area well enough to want to start walking around in the dark again,"
"Hell no, without the riot suits, it's too risky, someone will get killed," Kenny sharply denied the idea as well,
"What? Well, then what's the idea here guys? We can't just stand back to back in the pitch black, and since you lead us to the woods, we won't find a place to hold up either," Jeff said with a frown,
"Stay calm, Jeff, freaking out won't help anything," Alice replied in a determined tone,
"Exactly, but I am curious, Rick where are you leading us?" Martinez asked the sheriff,
"We're almost there," Rick replied while picking up the pace and remaining focused only on what was ahead of him. Minutes later the Rick stopped in place, pointing ahead of him, "There, we'll hold up inside tonight," The others moved to the man's side and looked ahead at the wreck of the crashed helicopter,
"Well...that's gonna be cozy," Martinez said while glancing at the group then back at the tiny husk of a helicopter,
"If I feel something, everyone is getting a smack, got it?" Alice warned before stepping forward towards the wreck,
"Yes, we should get as comfortable as we can while we still have the light," Stevens added on, following Alice's lead.
The others followed the duo over and did their best to get the helicopter doors opened, despite the metal latch being crushed shut, making them have to pry it open together. Then one by one the group squeezed inside the helicopter, it wasn't going to be comfortable in the slightest, but it'd be safe for one night, and that's all they need.
As Jeff got into the helicopter, joining his fellow town mates, Rick and Kenny glanced back at Lee who stood away from the helicopter, his arms crossed and head lowered. "Hey, he okay?" Rick asked the fisherman next to him,
"Yeah, I mean he was, hell I don't know," Kenny replied with a shrug,
Rick looked back to Lee and quickly jumped off the helicopter, which Kenny followed, "Lee, hey, you alright man?" Rick called out as he approached the ex-con,
As they both reached Lee's side, the professor still hadn't replied, "Lee, what the hell's your problem?" Kenny asked in his own gruff way of concern,
"They took his head," Lee finally said causing the two men to look at him confused, "He was sitting right in front of me and they took his head,"
"What the fuck you talking about?" Kenny asked back,
"Glenn," Lee lowly replied, "He told me not to talk, begged me and I listened...I let him die, I could have saved him but I didn't,"
"Lee, we weren't there but if Glenn told you not to talk, it was because he knew that those people we're too dangerous," Rick denied while putting a hand on his shoulder, "It wasn't your fault, Lee, you did everything you could, I'm sure of that,"
"Besides, I don't doubt that if you told 'em what they wanted, the fuckers woulda killed you both," Kenny added on in a firm tone, "You ain't got nothing to be sorry for pal,"
Lee slowly shook his head before clenching his fists, "I'll kill him, Crawford Oberson is a fucking dead man,"
"Damn right, The Governor too, both of them fuckers. We'll send 'em straight to hell," Kenny agreed with almost a snarl,
"They'll get what's coming to them, trust me, but first we need to get home," Rick said in an easy tone, "So come on guys, let's get some sleep," Lee and Kenny nodded back, both relaxing a bit as they turned and followed Rick back to the helicopter. The trio squeezed themselves inside and pulled the helicopter door shut behind them, relaxing a little as everyone tried their best to get some sleep.
Back at Woodbury, The Governor started to come too once more, his right arm brutally cauterized, saving his life but only to be brutalized by Michonne some more. "Good, you're awake," Michonne grunted from behind the man, only now did he realize he was bent over and something metal was jammed up his behind. "This'll be sore for awhile," Michonne said with a short yell while she ripped out the spoon from the Governor's rectum, having cut up the side of his bowels with it, leaving it a painful bloody mess. "And I thought getting it in was hard," Michonne said with a half smile as she stood up and walked to the side of The Governor.
Suddenly she kicked the man in the face, sending him flying onto his back. Michonne immediately jumped down onto his upper chest, giving a quick glance down to the black haired man's crotch, "Oops, looks like I ripped something, but don't pass out on me yet," Michonne growled as she began to move the bloodied spoon to The Governor's left eye. The man looked at the closing in spoon, shaking in fear only to feel it start to dig in right under his eyeball. With a monstrous yell Michonne popped The Governor's left out right out of it's socket, only now tossing away the spoon and retreating from his body.
As the Governor lay unmoving on the floor, Michonne fell to her knees and began to weep, horrified in her actions. This moment of clarity was cut short as Michonne finally heard pounding the front door. The few boards the woman used to keep the door shut and locked up creaked as a pair of voices called out, "Phillip! Open the door!" Oberson screamed out,
"Gov, Martinez and Jeff sprung the others, Doc and Alice aren't in their houses either!" Gabe added on,
"Sir, say something!" Bruce yelled,
"Fuck this, Bruce kick the fucking door down!" Oberson commanded as Michonne stood up and picked up her sword.
As the sounds of Bruce's heavy foot colliding with the door filled the room, Michonne looked down at The Governor, "Looks like what's left of that might heal, wouldn't want that now would we?" Michonne muttered while looking at the Governor's crotch. With a precise slash, Michonne severed what was left of the Governor's penis from his body, nicking his thigh on the way.
As Michonne ran to the fire exit out of the building she pulled open the door where The Governor's walker niece Penny was stored. Bruce, Gabe, and Oberson came crashing inside, catching just a final glimpse of Michonne before turning their attention back to both Penny and Phillip. "Jesus fucking Christ!" Oberson exclaimed as he looked over the grisly scene.
Michonne fled from Woodbury, escaping alone in the middle of the night was easy enough for one woman and once outside, it was near routine for her to travel safely and deal with any dead closing in. Following the path and trail that was leading back towards the prison was just as easy, despite the darkness. Soon she was deep into the woods and just as the sun was starting to rise on a new day, Michonne reached the helicopter wreck.
She stopped to take a few moments to collect her thoughts when Rick suddenly came bursting out the hatch, Martinez's rifle in his hand. He instantly lowered it when he saw Michonne, "My god, Michonne, you're alright!" He said while pulling his was out of the wreck followed by the others.
"Is he dead?" Kenny gruffly asked,
"Huh? Is who dead?" Michonne replied with indifference,
"Who the hell you think?" Kenny asked with a bewildered scoff,
"I don't know what you're talking about, come on, let's go home." Michonne finished while turning away.
Alright, another chapter down and it was a doozy to write, a lot of crazy scenes with Michonne as well as the group at the prison. Not to mention the few fun scenes I got to write with Rick and Co. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'd also like to thank you all again for the feedback, I love every second of it! So I'll see you all in the next one, oh and just a little side note, in the upcoming future I'll actually be having a vote coming up for you, so you can help shape the story a little. It's been in my head to use since I started the rewrite and I can't wait to do it!