- Hey, asshole, wake up.
Troy's voice awoke Clementine, who turned around, still on Lee's lap, and looked at the man who was pointing his rifle at Lee.
- Jesus, I'm forced to see your face first thing in the morning.
Lee said softly, sighing slightly and stretching. His husky, deep voice caused the girl's body to shiver slightly.
- Did you sleep well?
He asked Clementine, looking at the girl who was slowly getting off his lap.
- Considering, definitely.
She answered in a slightly hoarse voice, scratching her eyes.
- Come the fuck on! Bill will have a word with you.
Troy insisted, and Clementine stood up, looking at the small group that stood around the gate ahead.
Lee looked at Troy for a moment, and sighed. Troy was the kind of man who took advantage of Carver's title, he used it to try to get things in his favor, precisely because Carver caused fear, and he didn't.
It was even a little pitiful, he didn't seem to have been out there very long. He didn't seem to have gone through what they went through, so to see him try so hard to look intimidating was even a little funny.
Lee wondered how Troy would act if he wasn't with that rifle.
"Hm, you better watch yourself"
He stood up, stretching his numb body and walking beside the girl toward the small group ahead, where Carver was already starting to spout a bunch of bullshit that he wasn't too keen to hear.
Lee scratched the back of his head. He had been somewhat impatient since he had been thrown into that van, he had to calm down or, sooner or later, he would do something stupid.
Clementine stood next to Lee, and ran her eyes around, arching an eyebrow at not seeing Luke or Nick there.
And Alvin was not back yet; he had been called in the night before.
- Some of you are new to our community, others are members who went astray. But know that you can find redemption here. Forgiveness... by proving your worth, which will undoubtedly be by hard work.
Carver said, focusing his eyes for a moment on Lee, who pretended to hear everything he was saying, but his mind was wandering elsewhere. He didn't want forgiveness or anything like that, he wouldn't just forgive Carver for kidnapping him and forget about it.
Then his eyes focused on Clementine, who was listening to everything with a neutral expression, and arched an eyebrow at seeing Carver staring at her.
- How did you sleep?
The girl was slightly surprised by Sarah's sudden voice, and looked at her out of the corner of her eye. They were standing right in front of Carver, so he had a good view of them. It was not the best time to be chatting.
- We'll... we'll talk later, okay? It's not good to attract attention.
Clementine replied, trying to be as nice as she could, especially when she saw the stiff look on Carver's face when he heard Sarah.
- Okay...
The girl said, seeming to realize the situation they were in, and went back to paying attention to what Carver was saying.
- Well, that concludes what I wanted to say. I hope you all understand that I am giving you a chance here. And I hope that this time you don't throw it away.
Carver finished saying, crossing his arms and running his eyes down them, until he focused them on Lee again.
- You... I know what you look like, I know it when I see it. I've already forgiven you for killing my people, but you need to understand a few things. I want you in my office later, I will send someone to pick you up.
He said, and Lee just nodded cynically at Carver, who stared at him for a few more moments, until he turned and left the courtyard.
- Okay, no fucking slacking off now! Let's go!
Troy shouted angrily, pointing his rifle at Lee and ordering him to leave the yard.
Lee just ignored the man and looked at Clementine.
- Well... I guess I'll see you later... use this time to get more used to the place, who knows, maybe you'll find something interesting.
He said, bending down and softly kissing the girl's forehead, who smiled slightly and nodded to him.
- Hurry the fuck up!
Troy shouted again, and Lee made a point of sighing loudly and rolling his eyes. No point in being threatened or being at gunpoint there, most of them didn't have the guts to shoot, it would be disobeying Carver's orders.
- You're working in the armory, follow me.
A relatively tall dark-skinned woman said, turning and walking out of the courtyard.
Clementine sighed slightly, and followed her, ignoring the sound of something falling beside her.
On the way, she ran her eyes around the inside of the place again, wondering what kind of plan Lee had.
There were quite a few people in there, not counting those who probably stayed outside... killing everyone in there wasn't really an option, was it?
Nah, he wouldn't do that, some people might just be in there because they had no options, just trying to survive like everyone else.
- Bonnie is waiting.
The woman said, and only now did the girl realize that she had already arrived...the armory was not far from the yard they were in...much less Carver's office.
This could be useful.
Opening the door, the girl entered and ran her eyes around the place, arching an eyebrow when she saw some weapons propped up in the corner of the room, and others leaning on the wall.
There were more weapons than she had seen in a long time.
- Hey, looks like you're starting your day with me.
Bonnie said, and Clementine sat down in the chair opposite the woman, running her eyes over the magazines and the huge amount of bullets in the box in front of her.
It was a lot of ammo. Which made sense, there were a lot of people there.
- We are loading magazines.
She said, taking a magazine from the side and putting a bullet in it.
Clementine alternated her eyes between the objects for a few moments, until she did the same.
- Oh, there, you got it.
The woman said, putting some more bullets in the clip. The silence lasted for a while.
- So... what's your name, honey?
Bonnie asked, and the girl looked at her for a moment.
- Clementine.
- That's a very pretty name. How old are you?
- Eleven, as far as I can tell.
The girl answered, finishing reloading one of the magazines and putting it in the box next to the one with the bullets.
- How was your night in the yard?
- You mean my night in prison?
Clementine asked, narrowing her eyes slightly at the woman, who shook her head.
- It's not a prison. More of a... work release.
- Don't they do those in prison?
- I... I don't know, I've never been to prison... don't tell anyone, I'm trying to maintain a tough reputation.
The woman joked, smiling slightly at Clementine, who just arched an eyebrow and went back to her forced work, ignoring the woman's somewhat uncomfortable look.
- How did you find Luke and the others?
Bonnie asked after a while.
- Long story ... they know you, right? They never mentioned you...why didn't you run away with them?
The girl asked, looking at Bonnie for only a few moments.
- When Luke came to tell me this, I thought he was crazy. I mean, we're safe here, we have food, we have power, we have weapons, people... and Bill was a decent man.
She explained, staring at the ground for a few moments and sighing shortly after.
- But, to be honest, I think I just chickened out.
She said, looking at Clementine, who was staring at her neutrally.
-... Do you like it here?
Clementine asked, and Bonnie looked a little thoughtful.
- It's not like I like it here, but... where else are we going to find electricity? Where else are we going to get food like we have here? Fresh water? This place is amazing in those ways.
She answered, and Clementine looked away.
- What if Carver dies? Would you still want to live here?
The girl's question seemed to take Bonnie by surprise, and she was a little lost for a moment.
- What? I... i-i don't know... I don't think I see this place working without him.
- You don't see this place working without forced labor? Without kidnapping survivors?
Clementine asked, and Bonnie seemed a little thrown off by the questions.
- No, that's not what I meant-
- That's what it sounded like... the others said that Carver is a cruel dictator, what does he do when someone goes against his orders?
- What? No, he is a very considerate man, he doesn't do anything bad without a reason.
-... Okay, if that's what you think, why instead of Luke asking to leave the community, he was forced to flee? Luke also seems to be quite considerate. Why did Carver chase them for so long?
- He, he just... look, Clem, being in Carver's position is a stressful thing, he has a whole community to take care of, and-
- That doesn't explain anything. What happens if I ask to leave the community? I suppose he won't let me just walk out the front door, will he?
Clementine said, looking at the woman with narrowed eyes, putting another magazine in the box beside her.
Before Bonnie could say anything, however, the door was opened, and that same dark-skinned woman entered the armory.
- Didn't you hear me call you on the radio? The girl has another job now.
The woman said, and Clementine stood up, looking at Bonnie for a few moments before walking towards the exit.
- I'm sorry, Tavia, I... I was explaining the armory duties to her... see you later, Clementine.
Bonnie said, watching the girl and the woman, Tavia, leave the armory.
- Get on with it!
Lee sighed once more when he heard Troy's irritating voice. But he just ignored it.
Well, at least he tried to ignore it. It was the first time in a long while that he had encountered a community, and he couldn't wait to get out.
He would rather face those runners again than keep taking orders from someone like Troy.
Standing up, Lee lifted the wooden planks, looking around and checking the circumference of the fence that would be around the greenhouse.
- Hey, Lee, can you cut those boards in half for me?
A man approached him, and Lee nodded, walking toward the table in the corner and taking the saw.
Despite the forced manual labor, Lee recognized that this was a well-planned place. It was a shame that some of the people there agreed with Carver's methods.
They had plenty of supplies, it would be a waste to burn everything, or leave without getting some. However, depending on what Clementine wanted to do, he would have to focus on just getting out of there.
Which didn't seem to be too hard. For example, counting Troy there, there were only two guards around.
If he could get Clementine to stick around, getting out of there would be a piece of cake.
- Runners!
The voice of one of the workers caught his attention. Turning to the side, Lee sees two runners running towards the camp, probably attracted by the incessant noise of the hammer.
- Oh, shit. Everybody stay back!
Troy said, raising his rifle and pointing at the runners.
Lee didn't plan to interfere, however, an idea crossed his mind.
- Why waste ammo, runners are easy to deal with. I can kill them without wasting bullets.
Lee said, putting the saw back on the table and walking over to Troy, who, as usual, gave him an irritated look.
- Shut the fuck up! Do you really think you can kill two of them by yourself without a fucking gun?!
he asked, in clear distrust.
- I killed four of you without a firearm, didn't I? What are two runners to me?
Lee asked, crossing his arms and looking at Troy with a certain superiority. Irritating the man was not difficult at all, and an irritated person does stupid things.
- You know what? Fucking go! If you die this shit will make my day!
He said, taking a small axe from beside him and tossing it to Lee, who clenched his eyes slightly.
"Jesus, this isn't an axe, it's a toy."
- What? You chickened out?!
Troy asked, in a clear attempt to provoke him.
Lee didn't answer, he just turned and walked towards the runners.
Walking to the side, so that one runner was in front of the other, Lee advanced against them.
As he gets close enough, he bends down slightly and grabs the runner by the waist, lifting him in the air and "running over" the one just behind him.
Throwing him to the ground, Lee stands up and smashes the axe into the head of one of the runners.
Turning quickly, he grabs the other runner's shoulders, and placing his leg behind his knee, Lee knocks him to the ground, stepping heavily on his chest shortly thereafter.
Picking up his axe again, he sticks his weapon into the runner's head, hearing some of the workers murmuring behind him.
Looking over his shoulder at them, Lee crouches down beside the bodies, his back to the guards, making it look as if he were just picking up his axe again.
Lee rips the hand off one of the runners as fast as he can, not letting the others see, and keeps it inside his jacket. He wouldn't be searched, he wouldn't have to worry about them finding it.
Besides, he could tell everyone that the blood on his clothes was from the runners, and he would have witnesses to back up his story.
Getting up, he turns and walks back towards his small work area, tossing the bloodstained axe to Troy, who looks at him with a very unfriendly face.
- Who chickened out again?
He teased back, walking past the man and going back to sawing the boards that one of his companions had asked for, ignoring Troy's gaze upon him.
Some time had passed, the fence was at its beginning, and the base of the greenhouse had already been formed.
Lee stood with his hands on his waist, looking at the work he had done during those hours, waiting patiently to be called for his other work.
And it didn't take long for Troy to approach him.
- Come on, asshole. The kitchen is waiting for you. Wash your hands and ask to take a shower first...damn, I can't believe you are going to hand out the fucking food.
Troy said, and Lee masked a small smile.
He was very lucky that he had killed one of the chefs back in the forest. And now, he would have to replace one person in the distribution of food to the workers and the guards of the community, while someone else took the place of the chef.
Throwing the hammer he was holding aside, Lee turned and walked to the next door.
- Would you be so kind, you poor bastard, as to show me where the canteen is?
He asks, lightly teasing Troy, who closes his face in anger.
- Holy shit! You can't do one simple goddamn thing! Do you see those people carrying some boxes of food? Follow them, the kitchen is next to the pantry.
He said, and Lee turned around.
With a hidden smile, he looked at the food that would be distributed to the community.
Hmpf, killing someone was easy, piece of cake.
So was killing an entire community, but of course he wouldn't poison the food now. He wouldn't risk Clementine eating it either.
All he needed to do at the moment, was to ask for a shower, and hide that hand.
One infected hand, all it takes to kill a community.