Dropping off the ladder, I went to the mouth of the alley, checking the street carefully and motioned to Glenn; letting him know we're good to go whenever he's ready.
"You got some balls for a Chinaman." Daryl loaded his crossbow.
"I'm Korean." Glenn agitatedly corrected.
"Whatever" Daryl brushed him off.
Glenn came up next to me and I nodded to Daryl before we slipped out of the alley.
We kept close to the buildings and I stopped Glenn next to a car, so a walker on the other side wouldn't see us.
When the walker passed by, I moved again and ducked behind some left over military sandbags, Glenn's entry was much less graceful though.
He's sneaky don't get me wrong, but he's not me sneaky. Now I know why he wanted me to come with him, and he was right to do so.
I motioned at him when I spotted the bag and there was an opening.
Glenn ran, grabbed the bag from the street, and hesitated before grabbing a hat too.
A walker spotted him and I pulled my knife, moving out from the hiding spot.
Glenn ran past me while I killed the walker quietly but carefully setting it on the ground was harder than expected because it was so heavy.
I managed but walkers had already cut me off. So going back the same way wasn't an option.
I ducked underneath the tank, waiting for the walkers to trudge past before crawling out extra carefully.
Making my way back to the alley wasn't easy but I didn't expect to be startled by yelling.
I rounded the street corner in a panic and saw Glenn being pulled into a car, yelling for Daryl, walkers closing in.
The car drove off and Daryl yelled something but I've got bigger problems. Over a dozen walkers were between me and the alley.
Frantically looking around, I had no choice but to turn back- before they notice me.
I have to go around. I slipped back around the corner, keeping low and fast.
Which alley was it? He said two blocks right?
Muffins, I should've paid more attention. Why do I never pay attention!?
I went two blocks up and thankfully wasn't spotted; despite how crawling the streets are. The concentration of dead smells on this street must be masking my scent but that won't last forever.
Am I really this sneaky? I mean I've been told but I honestly thought they were exaggerating.
I made it to the alley two blocks up but Rick and T-Dog weren't there. I could've sworn it was only two.
Maybe it was 3 blocks? No, I'm pretty sure he said two. Ahhh—
Screw it. I'll just go back to the meeting place and hope they come back.
I'll wait ten minutes there and if they don't come back, I'll go back to the van and wait there. Sooner or later they'll have to go back there, right?
Calm down, geez.
Worst case scenario they leave me here and I have to make my own way back to the camp.
Ohhhh if they leave me here, they better pray I don't make it back.
It took me long enough to make my way back to the strategy room but when I got there, I heard an unfamiliar voice.
For a second I thought I had run into more people but then I heard Daryl's voice.
"They took Glenn, and probably Eve. Could've taken Merle too."
"Merle? What kinda hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle." There's that other voice again. Who is that?
There was some more talking I couldn't make out before a sudden commotion. I'm gonna guess it has something to do with Daryl.
Jolting forward, I went into the room where the voices were coming from, only to see Rick and T pulling Daryl off some kid. He's gotta be younger than even Glenn.
What in the Hell did they do now?
Rick kneeled down in front of the guy and said something to him, before the kid nodded, but again it was too hush for my ears from this far.
I walked up behind them, tapping Daryl on the shoulder. He jumped out of his skin, whirled around with his knife in his hand. I jumped back faster than I ever have in my entire life, putting my hands up in surrender.
I calmed my quick breathing as fast as it had kicked up. I pat my stomach, just making sure. Damn, he almost got me that time.
"Son of a bitch." Daryl breathed, lowering his knife. He sheathed his knife, holding out his hand.
I smiled taking his hand, confirming I'm okay. No worse for wear...for now, at least.
"How in the Hell..." T-Dog trailed off, staring at me like I'd just moved a car with my mind. Pfft, if I could do that, we'd have a different way of life right now.
"Where've you been?" Rick asked, sharing the same relieved and befuddled look as the other two.
I shrugged and flashed a small devious smile before pulling myself up onto the desk, folding my legs up to get a look at the new face.
Seems we've been getting a lot of these lately. First Rick, now this kid. He can't be more than 19. 20 at the most.
Rick and the others filled me in on what had happened in my absence and we came up with a plan to go get our pizza boy back.
I get to be a ninja while T-Dog's gonna pretend to be a sniper, and Rick & Daryl are gonna try to trade that kid— Miguel or something for Glenn. I hope this goes well. We may not get another chance.
In case things go sour, I'm watching from a distance with a handgun. I'm the backup. God knows why. I could probably sneak past all those guys, find Glenn, and sneak us both out before they have a chance to knock.
The big metal doors opened and my grip on the hilt tightened, focusing my aim on the man stepping out.
Oh that's a lot of people...I've got maybe 15 rounds. There's at least 20 guys there and if this turns into a firefight, there's a good chance Rick & Daryl won't make it out unscathed, if alive at all.
Heh, and we thought Glenn's plan was whack. Oh lord, I hope you know what you're doing, Officer.
Rick and Daryl looked up and I followed their gaze to Glenn being held at the roof's edge. I sincerely hope you're not afraid of heights, kid.
The people went back inside after another minute or so and Rick and Daryl backed away. So that didn't go as planned but at least no one's died, yet. Should've known this wouldn't be that easy.
I watched their backs until they made it to me, then we turned heading back to the place where we left the guns, T-Dog meeting up with us on our way.
Moving through the city is still tough, especially when you have a hostage to watch over.
It's always surprising to me how noisy people can be when they're trying to be quiet. I forget sometimes how scarce a light step is. They better learn real soon though. This is the rest of our foreseeable lives; and the length of those lives, depends on how well they can adapt.
"Guns are worth more than gold. Gold won't protect your family, or put food on the table." Daryl paced back and forth, wearing a hole in the floor. Does he ever sit still? He wasn't even half this edgy when Merle was around.
"You willin' to give that up for that kid?" Daryl finally leaned against the wall.
"If I knew we'd get Glenn back, I might agree. You think that vatos across the way is just gonna hand him over?" T-Dog asked.
"You callin' G a liar?" the kid looked up.
"Are you part of this?" Daryl spat, getting in the kid's face. Miguel flinched back, backing down like a pack wolf before an alpha.
"You wanna hold onto your teeth?" Daryl smacked him upside the head and the kid shrunk back, returning to his quiet state.
"Question is, do you trust that man's word?" T-Dog moved on.
"No— question is, what you're willing to bet on it. Could be more than 'em guns. Could be your life." Daryl leaned against the wall.
"Glenn worth that to you?" Daryl asked, almost like he's testing the Officer.
I crouched in front of the kid, curiously. He stared at me for a second before avoiding my eyes and kept his gaze trained on the floor.
So it's not just Daryl he's scared of. This kid doesn't seem like he'd be in a gang. I've met a few gangsters before, they're all cocky little shits in my experience.
"What life I have I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn, just some...idiot stuck in a tank. He could'a walked away but he didn't. Neither will I" Rick answered.
"You're gonna hand the guns over?" Daryl shifted behind me.
"I didn't say that"
"There's nothing keeping you three here. You should get out. Head back to camp."
"And tell your family what?" T-Dog
Abruptly standing, I slammed my hands on the table, making Rick flinch.
"You may owe Glenn your life, but that pizza boy is my best friend, you twat. I'm not going anywhere without him." I growled
Silence filled the room as I stared him down. Until he shifted, nodding at me.
I pushed off the table, straightening while he glanced at T then, over my shoulder at Daryl.
Shuffling pulled my attention behind me but there was nothing there and someone tapped my right shoulder.
How the f— now I know how everyone else feels when I do that. No wonder I've almost been filleted so many times.
Daryl held a shotgun out to me and I nodded, accepting it. I checked the chamber which was empty before Rick set several shells on the table in front of me.
"Oh come on. This is nuts." the kid stood up. Daryl pointed to the floor and he sat back down.
"Just do like G says."
You aren't very thoughtful are you, kid? He's lucky we've got no intention of hurting him— well, aside from Daryl but if worse comes to worse we can keep him off.
The last time he went off on someone -physically- it didn't end well for him. Or Merle. I hope for his sake, he still remembers what happened after that scuffle, and who put 3 grown men in -more or less- time out.
At least Merle and Ed haven't argued since.