Author Note: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters

Axel Dixon and Cath Carver belong to me.

Emily Carver belongs to HiddenTruthandLies2

Chapter 46: The Manor

Axel's POV

When we running around, we saw the others behind of a gate which is opened. I can we're going to ended in a manor.

"Thank god you guys are alright." Carley said as we running through the gate and she closed it, but when she looked at us. "Hold on, where's Chuck?"

Lee's and girls's face fell down as I sighed. "The girls got trouble with the walkers, but Chuck came into straight and saved them. Then Chuck was surrounded by them, but he fought them back like a hell. He said he'll be fine so we didn't have no choice than left him behind." I explained as Carley, Christa and Emily looked shock now.

"Damn." Christa muttered with a sympathy look.

I looked down with an anger look so everyone can't see my feelings. I'm so angry how Ben left the girls behind with the walkers, then I looking at him who is with Kenny and search around of the door to the mansion.

"Are you guys okay?" Lee asked.

"We are, except Omid." Carley replied.

"I'm fine." Omid said so stubborn.

"You're not fine. You have re-opened your wound when you fallen down and hit on the ground after we got in here." Emily said firmly. "It's going to be infected like this. We've got to get him and Doug inside the house."

I exchange my feelings into normal, but still keep my glare at Ben while asking Kenny, "Kenny, how's that door coming?"

"I'm working on it, I'm working on it!" Kenny said so irritation.

"Well work faster, would you?" Christa hissed. "Won't be long before those things outside figured out where we went. You know they can smell blood!"

"Lady, I'm not the one who opened the wound!" Kenny snapped back as Christa widened her eyes in disbelief and then sent an intense glare to him.

I sighed because of their fight.

"Chill out everyone!" Emily exclaimed, but lowly so walkers can't hear her. "Christa, just leave Kenny alone so he can focus to get the door open while you look after Omid."

Christa just sighed and bend down to check on her boyfriend while Emily did same thing to him and Doug.

Then Carley approached me and Lee, she looks little angry at us but I guess we know why.

"Lee and Axel, can I talk with you two for a little moment now?" Carley asked as we nodded. "Did you two already know about that radio it's working?"

We two was little speechless to answer her question because keep that secret from rest of our group.

"I'm sorry we didn't told you guys earlier. Me, Axel and Kenny only found out in yesterday. We don't want make you more worry about it than Doug's and Omid's injury." Lee replied, but Carley just shook her head in disappointing.

"Look, I understands, but you should have told just me because I'm assumed that guy has been talking with Clementine as it seems like he knows more about us than we know less about him, right?" Carley said.

Damn right. He knows probably about our problems and weaknesses too which mean it made him a dangerous threat than walkers and someone in the bell tower.

"Yeah. He even mentioned that he got her parents, but I don't believe this bullshit." I snarled as Carley look shock for to know about that guy messing with Clementine's head. "I will make sure he will regret it for calling us like that."

"So when where you going to ask Clem about that guy in the radio?" Carley asked which Lee looked at her with a dislike stare.

"Carley... come on, she hasn't done anything wrong. She's just make a mistake and it wasn't really her fault except that guy in the radio who used the advantage about her parents was in Savannah when this everything started." Lee said.

Carley looked little ashamed for feels little betrayal and anger about Clem didn't told anything to us.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't mean that she intended to. I know she's a smart girl and can wear a gun, but still she doesn't know any better yet. I mean, have you never told her not to talk to strangers? These days is more than ever because of this mess." Carley explained and have some remorse signs on her face.

"Carley's right, Lee. I know it's not easy to investigate young innocence kids like Clementine, but we can't just ignore her mistake which who knows what that guy will doing with us." I agree with Carley. "And what if Clementine will trust that guy more than she trusts us, even you too."

Lee was little confused now and looked at Clem who standing right front of the gate with Cath. He doesn't want to be serious on her. What if Clem will be scared by like she's in trouble. I can see the girls is still frightened and looks worry what if walkers have tracked us.

"I know what you guys mean, but like you said, Axel that it will not be easy to investigate her. But let's get into the house and see if it's safe there first." Lee stated as Carley and I nodded.

Sounds good idea.

"I'm going to check on here in case if some creepy sneaking and watching us." Carley said and stay right at the back fence as I check on Kenny and see if he find something to open the door while Lee go to the girls.

"Find anything?" I asked.

"If I found something, I'd say I did and try open this damn door." Kenny replied while searching around the door.

I saw Ben searching around some windows, but it seems like we will not get in through one of them. Then I noticed there's a pet door.

"What about the pet door? Right there." I said and pointed at the pet door as Kenny looked at it.

Before me or Kenny react, Ben spook up, "I tried to open it, but it's locked too."

You kidding me? As Kenny got an annoying look and complain, "Who the hell ever heard of a locked doggie door?"

I take a little closer to the pet door. Then I see a familiar symbol, the same one I saw on St Johns's generator in the dairy.

"Damn, another V.I.R.U.S.'s invention..." I said as Lee, Carley and Kenny approached and gets curiously after what they heard of what I say.

"Say what?" Lee asked.

"What do you mean "virus's invention"?" Kenny asked.

"Wait, is that not the illegal gang of stuff-makers were inventing some unbelievable things?" Carley added.

"Yeah, this pet door is one of their things. Just like St Johns's generator." I replied as Lee, Carley and Kenny widened their eyes as I didn't told them before about what I found in the dairy. "One of their farmers who made the electric fence was a member of V.I.R.U.S. Anyway, truth is I don't know about a self-locking pet door."

"I do." Omid said as we all looking at him. My neighbor had one just like that. It's radio-controlled, the dog wears a collar with a chip in it, so the door only opens when the dog gets close to it."

"Has your neighbor contact with some illegal gangs before?" I asked with a skeptical look as Omid shrugs his shoulder and I shook my head.

"But will this thing still open?" Carley asked.

"It will. A radio-control like this one have its power source own. It will almost take a half year before the power's empty." Doug ensured us.

"Well, shit. I guess every days of that virus-gangs is school days." Kenny scoffed which I smirked over his joke.

You can say that again.

"So we need to fine the dog, then get the collar and use it to open the pet door, right?" Cath explained.

"Exactly. Seems that way it is." Lee said and nodded for Cath's statement.

"So, where's the dog?" Emily asked.

We all looking around of the manor until we noticed there's a grave, right beside an dog house at the corner of back fence.

Hmm, a grave right next to a dog house. Could it be...

Then I saw Lee grabbed a shovel were it was on the wall of a garage shed and walked over to the grave as we follow after him. The girls and Emily went to him too while Christa stay with Omid and Doug.

Before Lee was going to start to digging, Omid interrupted him. ""Hey, careful, dude. Digging up graves isn't the way it used to be anymore, know what I mean?" Omid warned him as Lee wide his eyes.

"Yeah, I hear you." Lee said and start digging though he was little intimated by Omid's warning.

"What's buried down there?" Clem asked.

No one did answer back to her instead we starring at the grave. When Lee was done, we looking correctly down on the grave and it wasn't a walker, but a dogs's corpse. The skin weren't completely rotten which mean it was buried for a while ago.

"Phew, at least it wasn't a walker." Cath said and got a disgust expression on her face because of the smell of the corpse.

"Eww, I can smell it from here. Gross!" Clementine exclaimed in disgust.

"Come here, sweetie. Just let Lee and the others handle this and we'll be inside soon." Carley said as Clem nodded.

"You too Cath." Emily said as Cath want to help, but she doesn't like to see a death domestic animal and turned around to be with her sister and the others.

Then Lee grabbed the collar, but it's stuck around of the throat.

Seriously?

"Eww, can't get it off." Lee mumbled in disgust.

I sighed out and start approach him. "Here... let me help, you hold and I-" But suddenly, the head of the corpse separated off it and the collar slipped right through the neck. "Okay, forget it." I said immediately and feel disgust as everyone was by what just happened.

"That was not cool!" Ben whined as Emily start vomiting out on a bush next to her by the smell. Carley and Christa have already raised their hands over their mouths.

"Are you okay, sis?" Cath asked and looked worry about her sister as Emily wiping her lips.

"I'm okay, Cath. It's... just the smell." Emily replied.

"Are you sure you are?" Doug asked and looked concernedly.

"Yeah, I'm sure I am." Emily ensured her boyfriend.

Then Lee, Carley, Ben, Kenny and I turned around and went back to the door.

Lee bends down right forward the pet door.

"Here goes nothing." Lee said and pulls the collar on the pet door as we heard a click while a green light appear on it.

"Yes! Goddamn!" Kenny exclaimed in joy.

"Now we're talking." I said happily.

Lee reach his arm in through the pet door and try to get the knob on other side.

"Ugh, it's no good. I can't reach it from here." Lee said and stands up.

Then we heard some sighs of walkers is getting louder and louder.

"Guys, we need to get hurry now." Emily said

"Here, let me try. I think I can-" Cath said, but suddenly, Clementine just crawled through the pet door before any of us could react.

"Clem?" Cath called, but no answer from her as we wide our eyes in worry.

Damn it, girl. What the hell are you doing?

"Clem! Are you okay? Say something!" Lee exclaimed, but not so loud.

No respond from her and nothing noise from inside.

Please, don't tell me that she...

Then we heard a click from the door and it pulled opened as Clem came out.

"Ta-da!" Clementine said with a proud smile and raised her arms up playful.

Seriously, Clem? What the hell were she thinking? She could have been in trouble inside of the house.

I shake my head in disappointment on her for sneaking in without asking like Cath just already did. I saw Lee huffed out an anger sigh, but then he looks more proud on her.

"Good job, Clem." Lee said with a proud smile.

"Yeah. Way to go." Cath said happily.

"I did good, right?" Clem asked as she crossed her arms.

"Yes, you did. You really did. But Clem, next time if you have to do like this door again, just tell us before you sneak in, okay?" Lee said.

Clem feel little guilty now, but she nodded.

"Can we maybe have this conversation inside? My leg's starting to hurt like hell." Omid said as he and Doug stands up and approached along with Emily to us.

We all walked into the house now while hearing sighs of walkers.

In the house

We came into the house and ended in a kitchen. It was little dark in here because all of windows was barred up with wooden planks.

I whistling out. Not bad about this place, seems like we can stay for a little while.

Then Emily, Carley and Christa helps Doug and Omid into a living room. They help them to lie down on two sofas. When Christa and Carley helped Omid, he let a painful yell as we heard.

I wonder how's going with their wounded arm and leg.

Then Christa and Emily went back to me, Lee, Kenny and Cath in the kitchen while Ben and Clementine looking around in another room.

"So, when were you going to tell us about the radio?" Christa asked.

"Tell you what?" Kenny asked which it earned a glare from Christa.

"That it's working." Emily corrected Christa's question. "That there was someone out there were watching at us and you guys didn't tell any a bit about it?"

"We was going to tell us. Axel, Kenny and I only found out yesterday." Lee replied.

"So you three were keeping it from the rest of us? Great." Christa complained with a sarcastic tone.

I sent a glance to her.

"Who gives a shit about the damn radio? I'm more worried about whoever it was out there ringing that bell and bringing the dead on top of us!" Kenny exclaimed with a disgust look. "It's like they didn't want us to make it to the river!"

"Yeah, I mean whoever it was in that tower didn't ringing the bell until we got it close to." Cath agreed.

"What makes you think it's not the same person?" Christa suggested. "Whoever was on the radio was close enough to see us on the streets and we didn't see anyone than the guy in the bell tower."

That's nuts. There's no fricking way it could be the same person.

"Because that doesn't make a lick of damn sense. Why would they bring out the dead like that and then try to warn us about it?" Kenny inquired as I nodded slowly.

"I know it sounds too hard to say that, but we already have meet some crazy people and we don't even know what happened the rest of the world. What if there is a crazy psychopath who followed after us?" Emily asked.

"I don't think it's not the same person. If it was a psychopath, he would have done something more sick things than ringing a bell tower. But still, someone is following us out there. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't like being followed." I grumbled with an angry tone. "Not because it's humiliates my pride as a hunter, but I got a bad felling about this like we will probably get a damn knife on one of our backs without anyone notice it."

"Are you saying we have to go find that guy and kill him?" Christa asked.

"Or we need to get on a boat where he can't follow us anymore." Kenny said and still stubborn to get to the river.

I let an annoying sigh out from my mouth by Kenny's statement. Yeah, but I guess that guy would shows up and try to stop to get on the water which it will cost some our lives.

"I'm not going back out there anytime soon. Omid needs to rest." Christa added.

"Whoa hold on there, what about Chuck? We can't just forget about him. He might be in trouble out there." Cath said and looked worry about Chuck who still out there with walkers.

I don't know if we can't go out there again. He might be his own now, he's a tough bastard with his shovel. The way I saw it back there, he will probably fine for now. By the way, some of us are exhausted and need a little rest for now.

"What do you think, Lee?" Carley asked and leave decisions to her boyfriend.

Lee just thinking about the state of their current situation.

"Look, I'm agree with Cath. We need to make sure that Chuck is okay, but we all need a little rest here now. Once walkers have quietened walking around on the streets, we'll look after Chuck while we heading to the river. Deal?" Lee said.

Non of us didn't respond back instead some of us nodded to agree with Lee as Kenny looks little unhappy about Lee's statement. But he realizes that Lee has right there.

"Suit yourselves. But I'm not gonna wait too long for someone else to grab up those boats. That's our ticket out of here." Kenny said.

"Look guys." It was Doug who shouted out to us from living room. "I know I don't get wrapped in the arguments around here, but let's look on the bright side. This mansion seems to be secured."

"Heh, I will take that in my mind." Omid chuckles.

"I think Doug's right. We all need to rest and being feel little comfortable here." Emily said.

I guess it's too early to get feel comfortable here. We don't know if this house is really safe.

"I'll feel comfortable when we know this place is safe for sure. We need to check the whole house." Christa said.

Kenny looked down and sighed. "Alright, fine." Kenny said and looked at Ben. "You and me'll take the upstairs."

"I will come with you in case if something happen up there." I said.

"Okay then. Emily, you stay with our wounded friends and check on them if something goes wrong." Kenny said.

"Sure, Kenny." Emily replied.

"Can I go with you and help to search upstairs, Dix?" Cath asked.

I looked at her hesitant, but I noticed Emily nodded at me which mean it's okay for her.

"Okay, just stay close to me and be on guard until this house is safe." I said as Cath nodded.

"Then me and Carley check in every doors in this floor." Lee added.

We spread out, me, Cath, Kenny and Ben go to upstairs while Christa and Emily stay with their boyfriends in the living room as Lee and Carley look around everywhere in the first floor.

When we got to the next floor, me and Cath took the left while Kenny and Ben took the right. When I opened a double-door, there was a sort of an office room and no one is in there.

"Wow, this place is so big and look great than a damn motel." Cath said.

"It seem so, but we will stay here for a while, remember?" I said as Cath nodded.

When I check around of a desk while Cath looking through the window.

"Se anything?" I asked.

"It seems like walkers is getting moving away from the streets." Cath replied.

"Good." I said while searching around.

"Hey, Dix? What do you think about that guy on the radio who has been talking with Clem and why didn't she told us about this?" Cath asked and it seems she feels little betrayal for her friend didn't told her or anyone.

"I don't know or why didn't Clem tell anyone, but my criminal paranoia telling me that he's not friendly and that guy told us in yesterday he got Clem's parents." I replied which it made Cath looked worriedly and hesitant.

"That's ridiculous. If he got her parents, then how come he could sneak after us and where were they doing in that time?" Cath inquired.

"Exactly. So the way what I see it's-" But I was interrupted we heard a thud which it came from the other side of the wall. "What the hell?"

"What was that?" Cath asked as she and I went away from the office and then to the hall where we saw Kenny and Ben has open a step ladder to the an attic.

"What's going on here?" I asked and approached them.

"I think I heard something up there." Kenny said and referring the attic.

"You heard what?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Stay here, I'll be right back." Kenny said and started to climb up and leaving me, Cath and Ben

It's probably just the wind he heard, but I don't think it doesn't harm to check up in the attic.

Then I glare at Ben. I think it's time to talk about what happened back in the street.

"JESUS!" Before I could react, I heard Lee screamed something.

"Shit!" Then I heard Carley too which it getting bother about what just happened as I and Cath heading back to upstairs and saw they're right front of another double door, right beside down of the upstairs.

Ben staying at the step ladder and waiting for Kenny.

"Is everything okay down there?" Cath asked.

Lee sighed as he grabbed a broom were lied on the floor and sent it into the room before he closed it.

"It's... nothing. Just nothing." Lee replied.

"We're fine, sweetie. Don't worry." Carley said.

Then Cath and I going down and approach them. "So how's going with this floor?" I asked.

"Well, this place ain't got much. But it seems really okay here for a while." Lee replied as Cath smiled and I nodded.

"How's going with up there?" Carley asked. "Me and Cath just only check one of rooms, but it seems like there's nothing up there either. Well, Kenny thought he heard something up in the attic so he take a look up there but I think it just the wind." I replied.

"Good, let's go see the others." Carley said with a smile as we went to the rest of the group in the living room

We saw Omid and even Doug is sleeping now on sofas.

"So, how's going to search the house?" Christa asked.

"It's really safe here, for now." I replied.

Christa smiled that answer. "Good."

"How's going with our tough boys?" Carley asked.

"Good. We have stop the bleeding, but the problem is we don't know if Omid's leg might get infected and I think Doug's arm is already infected when he landed on the ground." Emily explained the situation.

Fuck, and we don't have any antibiotic to help them.

"I think we should need to find some medicine before we're going to find a boat." Emily suggested.

I wide my eyes in disbelief. Whoa, whoa, hold on there, this is not gonna happen because every hospitals have over hundreds of walkers. It would be suicide.

"I don't think it will be easy to find any medicine there, Em. All what we saw outside are pretty cleaned up like all of tires of cars is gone and it wasn't so many walkers as we thought it should just like in Macon." Carley stated. "Except the guy in the radio and the person in the bell tower, somebody have took car parts and I don't think this city might is not really death... yet."

"That was I was thinking about too. Who knows there's a place of living in Savannah." I guessed, but wasn't really sure about it.

"Guys, we already have talk about this, we're going to get to the river while we try to find Chuck too. We will try to find some medicine too, right?" Lee said.

Christa and Emily nodded, but they're so worry about their boyfriends.

"You guys really didn't find anything?" Christa asked.

"Nah, just dog food and some whiskeys in the back." Lee said as Christa sighed.

"Well, I hope any of us are not that hungry." I referring the dog food as Carley and Cath smirked little while Emily rolled her eyes and smile.

Then Emily turned to Clem who sitting on a chair and has been quiet.

"I was just asking Clementine if she knows the man on her radio is." Emily said humble as we except Doug and Omid turned to the little girl who look nervous and looked away. "It's okay, honey, you're not in any trouble. We just wanna know who is he and what does he want."

Clementine is hesitant to responds and didn't look back on us.

"Go on, Clem. Like Emily said, you're not in any trouble. We need to know who was that guy on your radio. Who is he?" Lee said and bends right front of her.

Clementine has finally looking at Lee and say, "It's... just a friend. I don't think he wants to hurt us."

As some of us like me looking with skeptical look each other before staring back on Clem.

"What do you mean he wants to hurt us? Clem, what did have you told to this guy?" Lee asked as Clem looks little guilty now.

"I told him I was trying to find my parents, and that they were in Savannah." Clem replied as Christa widened her eyes in shock for knowing about her parents were in Savannah when everything started. "He really seems nice, I think he wants to help me find them." Clem said with a hopefully smile.

I shook my head in hesitation. Really, Clem? How come a nice guy to stalking after somebody like us instead shows up?

"Clementine, believe me. That's not what he wants. I've seen something like this before and-" I said, but-

"GUYS!" Ben shouted out as I shook my head.

"You guys keep going while I handle this." I said as I heading quickly to the upstairs and saw Ben who standing in the middle of it.

"What?" I said with an annoying tone.

"It's Kenny." Ben replied as I widened my eyes.

What? What's with Kenny... wait a minute.

Then I ran up into upstairs and me heading to the step ladder as Ben stands next to me.

"Is Kenny still up there?" I asked.

"Yeah. I call Kenny, but he didn't answer back. I can't get him to come down." Ben said as I approached the step ladder.

When I gripped the step ladder, I starring over shoulder at Ben coldly. "Stay here." I said angrily but lowly as Ben looked nervous and scared by me.

I climbing up to the top, to the attic. I wonder what's going on up there. Was there really someone or something up in the attic as Kenny heard it?

To be continued

A/N:

Letter Hacks:

Axel's dream is become the world best hunter.

Please preview and I will answer back. :)

I hope you fans really enjoy this chapter. ;)