3rd Person POV
"Here, here." Rick motioned as the four of them moved past a small collection of thick trees beside what looks like more storage spaces, a few big containers scattered around this little area right before the last wall they need to get over, only this one is guarded.
"Get down." Rick motioned quietly and everyone ducked behind the frame of a car that looks like it hasn't moved in a long time.
Glenn coughed and grunted in pain on the ground, his fists clenching the grass while the rest of his body tried to see if it could ache itself to death.
Eve felt sympathy for him. She knows exactly what that feels like. You never get used to it. If it happens often enough though, your pain tolerance goes up and you get a better sense for what will actually kill you.
"Come on, Daryl." Rick muttered under his breath, praying Daryl worked a miracle and is just catching up.
A rustle behind them had everyone's heads turning, a spark of hope igniting in an instant and immediately fanned into flames of anger when the woman — Michonne — they brought Rick along to find these 3 scooted out from underneath the lifted storage container behind them. Blood ran down her face from an open-wound on her forehead and could barely stand even with the help of the container.
Rick aimed his gun at her in a heartbeat. "Where were you?"
Her eyes widened, quite startled at the angry reception.
"Turn around. Turn around."
She did as told, with her hands half up and Rick took her sword. And the knife belt she was carrying, which just so happens to belong to a certain pissed off shadowy ninja behind him.
"Where did you get these?" Rick demanded as he passed them to their rightful owner, hearing the breath of relief over his shoulder as the weight disappeared from his hand and within moments she was doing up the straps and checking them for any damage.
Michonne didn't answer and Rick lowered his weapon, looking at her in the most condescending way, and in a matching tone, "Get what you came for?"
"Where are the rest of your people?" Michonne took the opportunity to notice that there's a few people missing. Unintentionally answering with the dejection of her tone that no, she did not manage to do what she came to. If she had, they could all sleep easy and move on without having to worry about the Governor ever again.
"They got Oscar." Glenn answered, aiming at her like it was Michonne's fault.
"Daryl's missing, you didn't see him?" Maggie jumped in, her eyes still wide with fear and high alert.
"If anything happens to him I will—"
"I brought you here to save them." Michonne cut Rick off, reminding him of the exact terms of their deal. She was their guide here, nothing more and she did her part.
"Thanks for the help." Rick replied genuinely, accepting that it's not her fault, he's just looking for someone to blame — someone he can get to easily. But in truth there's only one who they need to settle this score against.
"You'll need help, to get them back to the prison or to go back in there for Daryl. Either way, you need me." Michonne's voice betrayed her desperation but she didn't attempt to hide it either. She's banged up bad, almost as bad as Glenn.
Rick looked to Eve because truthfully he's not the one who has final say right now and he's aware of that fact. In a way it actually takes some of the pressure off, not being the one always making the call; like sharing a burden.
Eve's eyes scanned Michonne up and down. The dark skinned woman noticed how Rick deferred to the silent person behind him, someone who she was barely even aware was there until she looked directly at her and every single hair on her body stood up. Like spotting a rattlesnake right next to you that was not there a second ago.
Eve looked at Rick firmly and Rick nodded and turned his gaze back to Michonne. "You come with us."
Getting past the final wall proved to be less difficult than getting in was. Having their stealth expert lead makes an almost terrifying difference.
It wracked Rick and Michonne's nerves to hide and sneak past but Glenn and Maggie are used to letting Eve show them the way and simply copying. They've gotten unlucky in the past but without an outside interference her methods never fail.
In a world where noise could get you killed, the silent reign supreme.
The true test was getting back to the place in the woods where they left T-Dog and Randall guarding the vehicles.
Of the people present, Eve is once again the most qualified to lead because she's the only one who regularly spends time in the woods, and since the winter, it's noticeable how much her navigation has improved. She seems much more at home out here than she used to. It's almost like being with Daryl.
Rick hasn't been a follower very often, but with Eve leading he's beginning to see a few things that he didn't before.
It's not the time to have self deprecating thoughts but seeing how easy it was for her to not only sneak them out without so much as a scratch but to do it so easily even in her state, and to remain calm and sharp(whilst carrying a fury like they've never seen)… he can't help but question whether or not he's actually the most qualified person to lead anymore.
She actually kinda reminds him of the Sheriff he used to be deputy to. Rick learned a lot from that man and he's the reason he's been able to lead as well as he has all these months, but he was somewhat like Eve. Contrary to her, he liked to talk, but both of them possess this decisive decision making even when they don't have much information. It's in their eyes, they both see their goals with a clarity that few possess.
This ability to process the information they have and take swift precise action is something Rick has always had to work at but it comes even more naturally to Eve than it did to his Sheriff.
Eve paused, stopping everyone, and glanced back at Rick. Even in the dark he can see her eyes as a gleam of light reflected off the steel of her blade and cast a small spot of light onto her cheek, radiating just enough ambient light to track her gaze on him.
Rick pointed and lowly muttered, "The cars should be just through those trees."
She nodded and continued on quietly. Her night vision goggles would've been nice right about now. Maybe she should just make or find a new little pouch to add to her person so she can just carry them at all times and not continue to bump into situations like this. It seems that every time it would be useful to have them, she doesn't. It's absurd and annoying, and getting old. What's the point of having this equipment if she can't find ways to make it more usable?
Coming up onto the road, they only missed the cars by like 50 feet. It's hard to see in the dark like this, even with the aid of a near full moon's light tonight but two dark familiar figures stood beside the cars, keeping watch.
Eve wasn't trying to stay quiet anymore but she still walked up right behind one of them and he turned, only to get the fright of his life.
T-Dog nearly shot her in the face if the gun in his hand hadn't disappeared right in front of him and somehow reappeared in hers.
Eve herself looked surprised for a second at how fast she grabbed it out of his hand.
She scared the living Hell out of him and straight up just snatched the pistol out of his hand before he could blink.
"Have I ever told you how glad I am to have you on our side? But what the Hell happened to your face?"
Eve spun the gun around and placed it back in T's hand before walking past him.
It didn't take long to explain everything that's gone down. Maggie and Rick did most of the talking while T-Dog got out the bag of medical stuff he'd had the foresight to bring.
Eve popped a few painkillers and made short work of the little bit of food they had in the cars while T-Dog treated her, insisting on a few bandages and at least dealing with the inflammation on her face as best they can so she can see a little better.
Ten minutes later they were locked, loaded, and headed out. Leaving Glenn and Michonne with T-Dog, and taking Randall and the biggest guns they brought back to Woodbury with them.
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