Chapter Seven –

"Looks empty," Beth whispered to Daryl and he nodded, his eyes never leaving what they could see of Terminus from their hiding spot. Movement between buildings caught their attention and the couple ducked lower into the brush around them, their eyes watching the man that was moving between the buildings, a gun hanging loosely off his shoulder. "Well, at least it's not overrun…that could be a good thing, right?" Daryl grunted in response to her whispered question. He signaled for Beth to turn and the two walked back to the meeting place the small group had set. They returned in time to see Rick digging a hole and stashing their extra weapons.

"See anything?" the sheriff asked and Daryl nodded.

"A man with a gun, walking around the buildings over on the west side," Daryl shared and Rick nodded.

"I didn't see anything. Michonne?"

"Nothing. It's quiet." The woman replied, her eyes staying on Carl's face. Daryl looked between the two curiously before shaking his head and refocusing on the "sanctuary" behind them.

"We'll enter in the back, see what we can find out first."

"That's daddy's watch!" Beth exclaimed, moving toward the Termite known as Alex. Rick beat her to the teenager, holding him at gun point. Beth immediately turned and raised her crossbow as the people around them all stood and pulled out their guns. She positioned herself next to Daryl, their eyes meeting briefly before facing the threat in front of them again. Blue eyes took in the sight of the riot gear, the poncho, and the orange pack. "They're here," she murmured.

"We'll find 'em" Daryl assured her softly. "Keep focused."

Daryl gave an angry growl around his deep breathing as another flurry of bullets rained down in front of him. His arm shot out and stopped Beth before she could run past him, stopping her from running into the bullets. He turned and pressed his hand into her lower back pushing her in another direction before running after her and past her to stay in front of her, his crossbow up as fear and concern for the safety of the woman he cared for and his family flooded through his body. The group entered a building with candles and words written in red all over the walls and floor and they spun around in confusion.

"What is this place?" Beth asked in between pants for air.

"I don't know but I don't think they want us dead," Michonne voiced.

"No, they were shooting at our feet," Rick explained before pointing to an open door with the letter A next to it. "This way." Beth looked at Daryl, concern in her eyes. If these people were shooting at their feet, they must be herding them somewhere and they were running straight into it. Daryl grabbed her hand and pulled her along as he ran behind Rick, Carl, and Michonne.

"This is a trap!" Beth yelled out and Daryl nodded and the blonde could see him searching for a different path, a way to escape. Beth pulled Daryl with her when her eyes took in an exit and the he whistled, catching Rick's attention. The sheriff nodded and gestured for Carl and Michonne to follow the couple. Bullets rained down on the group as they exited the door and Beth let out a gasp in pain when one grazed her arm. Daryl's hand tightened on hers and he pulled her to him, curses spewing from his mouth before turning with the group to go back to the door with the A on it.

The group ran out of the building and froze when people on the other side of the fence aimed their guns at them.

"Drop your weapons!" The Termite named Gareth orders. Daryl glanced at his family around him, meeting many of their eyes before they all begrudgingly dropped their weapons, Beth and Daryl being the last ones to drop theirs. "Now, Ringleader, go stand in front of the train car. Then the samurai, then the archer." Daryl stared at Beth, meeting her eyes before grabbing her hand and turning to walk to the train car with her. They froze when Gareth's voice rang out.

"Not you, blondie. No, we'll take you somewhere else, somewhere special." Gareth approached Beth calmly and separated the couple's hands, his eyes looking her over as he circled her. Daryl froze in his steps, turning and gave a menacing growl as he turned, his hands in fists at his side as he stepped closer to the Termite.

"She goes with me," he snarled, making Gareth laugh before he pulled Beth to him, his arm wrapping around her neck. The blonde struggled against his grip, her eyes meeting Daryl's rage filled eyes as his body tensed and he made to pull Gareth's arm off of her. The coolness of a gun's barrel against her forehead made Beth freeze in her struggles, her eyes widening and holding Daryl's gaze as he too froze. She could see a flash of panic cross his features before a rage she had never seen on his face before took over his features.

"Now, archer, go to the train car and stand behind the samurai like I told you to or I'll kill Blondie and the kid and I don't want to do that. The Greater Good needs her." Beth nodded slightly to Daryl and he walked backwards, his eyes flitting between Beth's and Gareth's.

"I'm gonna kill you for this," he told the man and Beth attempted a smile when their eyes met again. "You're gonna be okay." The hunter assured her and Beth nodded.

"I'm more worried about you," she told him, her voice shaking slightly, her eyes moving to the train car then back to his.

"I'll go with you but Rick's son stays with them," she told Gareth. She could feel his nod in agreement and she let out a breath.

"Beth!" Daryl yelled, shaking his head. "This ain't a fuckin' movie, girl!"

"Shut up!" Gareth yelled at the hunter, pressing his gun into Beth's forehead. Daryl's mouth snapped shut. Even from the distance they were at, Beth could see the veins in the hunter's neck as he fought to control his anger. "We have no need for the kid right now. Go ahead, kid. Open the train car and enter it, Ringleader!" Beth struggled against Gareth's grip as she watched her family hesitate before obeying the Termite's orders. Daryl refused to move, cursing loudly when Termites practically pushed him into the train car with guns in his back. She could hear him yelling her name as they slammed the train car door shut and locked it.

"Now then, get a car and take her to the Greater Good." Gareth pushed Beth away from him and she stumbled slightly before she turned and kicked his knee cap, making him scream out in pain. She lunged to the ground where her knife lay but a body slammed into her, knocking the air out of her lungs with the impact.

"Bitch." A voice growled into her ear before the butt of a gun connected with her temple and she blacked out.