A/N I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! I'll be finishing Look After You within the next couple chapters so I'd like to thank you all for reading, and I'll try my best to finish up the story on a good note…feedback is always appreciated!
Beth POV
As the days passed, Beth found herself becoming close friends with Anna. The two shared many stories – what their lives were like before the world came crashing down, what had happened to them since and of course the horrors of being with the Bandits – and bonded over them.
Anna's stories of the Bandits before Beth had arrived fueled the pretty blonde's desire to free the girls. She couldn't believe the stories of the abuse, the violent beatings that these innocent girls had to endure, with seemingly no hope of ever getting out.
She was overjoyed when Daryl told her the beginnings of the plan. "We might have something worked out," he told her one late afternoon. "But it's nothing concrete, yet. And some people might end up getting hurt."
Beth frowned, but nodded. She had expected something of the sort – the Bandits wouldn't just give up their girls for nothing. "I see. Daryl – what's going to happen to them once they're free?" She had just thought about this – freeing the girls would be one thing, but keeping them all alive was another.
This is when Emily piped up, overhearing their conversation. "There's a safe haven not too far away from here – there's signs posted on the train tracks that are a ways back in the woods. If we can get the girls back here and cleaned up all right we can direct them out that way."
Daryl nodded – he surely hadn't planned on being accountable for a bunch of younger girls – then paused. "Why're ya still here if there's a safe place less n' a week's journey from here?"
Earl responded, "we haven't needed to yet. This spot isn't in any immediate danger, so we consider Terminus – the camp – as a backup plan. We'll leave when we need to, and that's our next spot." Daryl considered, accepting the response. There wasn't any need to move when this place was still secure.
Daryl POV
He gave Beth a look and breathed another sigh of relief – she was here with him, and he'd never let anybody take her from him again. He'd kept his promise of getting her back, and he'd keep her safe until his last breath.
"Alright, here's the plan," he began. "We get back to the city, hole up somewhere near enough the warehouse that we can keep an eye on it, but far enough that we can avoid detection. We take a day or two, figure out their patrol patterns, then when they aren't expecting any trouble we take the guards hostage, offer to trade em for the release of all the girls. After that we bust ass out of the city and hope they don't retaliate." It wasn't much of a plan, but given the circumstances it was the best they had.
"Another thing, not everyone should go. Anna, Beth, Emily and the kids should stay here – no sense in putting them in danger if it's not necessary," Earl contributed. Earl's family nodded while Beth sputtered in protest.
"No way! I'm going, I have to!" she exclaimed. "This was my idea in the first place and you're going to need help protecting the girls while you get out of the city."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Earl responded.
Daryl noted the flash of anger that lit Beth's eyes. She scowled, put her hands on her hips and fixed Earl with a firm look. "I'm going."
"Y'can forget 'bout arguin' with her," Daryl told Earl. "The girls made up her mind and ain't nothin' gonna change it." With a sigh and another look at Beth – who still looked slightly insulted at the idea she wouldn't be helping with the rescue – Earl gave in, nodding his consent.
The group of three got ready and took off that night.
Two days passed and the small group found themselves getting ready to free the girls. They'd found places along the Bandits so-called patrol route that they could easily conceal themselves in, waiting to spring into action once the next patrol came by. They usually made rounds about three times a day.
The day before Daryl had snuck up close to the warehouse to do a closer observation, and had found that the gaping hole he and Earl had caused was still there – with a guard full time, to ensure no girls escaped or walkers got in. He would have figured the group would patch that up as soon as possible but assumed that they lacked the supplies to do so.
Daryl and Beth concealed themselves behind a few abandoned cars on the route, while Earl hid himself behind some barriers on the other side of the road. Two sentries went out at a time so the three figured they'd each be able to take one, and have one extra person for backup.
The group didn't have to wait long before the sentries came by. When they were finally in range, Daryl, Beth and Earl leapt out of hiding and smoothly took their hostages, relieving them of all weapons. He was pleased that everything had gone so well, so far. This was only the easy part.
It was a short trek back to the warehouse and they were not very well received by the Bandit acting as guard around there. "We don't want anyone to get hurt," Earl said. "We're prepared to offer a trade for these two – an exchange of hostages, of sorts."
The guard undoubtedly recognized the older man and Daryl as the culprits who had broken out two of their girls. "You're the assholes who blew this place up and took two of our girls! And let how many others get free! We lost those girls because of you!"
Beth, who wasn't holding a hostage, stepped forward. "It's either you let all the girls go for these two, or we kill all of you and get the girls anyway. What's it going to be?" Daryl was slightly shocked – when had Beth begun to use threats in such a casual manner?
After the threats, it was decided the girls would be released. Beth felt triumphant – this would severely cripple the Bandits operations. It happened quickly, with all the girls coming out all at once. The now considerably larger group wasted no time in leaving the city and back to Emily and Earl's cabin.
A/N This was just a little filler to lead up to the next (possibly final) chapter. Thanks so much for reading!