WOW! The amazing response is really incredible! Thank you so much for everything! You guys are the best! I'm so excited for the rest of the season for The Walking Dead. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Special thanks to PenelopePants and jazznsmoke! Love all of you!
-Mandy
Chapter Six:
"Kidnapped? What do you mean by 'kidnapped'?! What the hell does that mean, detective?!" Beth asked, panicking, as she scrambled to put on clothes.
"Your sister has been prosecuting a big name drug dealer, the leader of a biker gang known around Atlanta as the Claimers. They're originally from out west, liked to frequent Sturgis, South Dakota. Recently made their way down here, more money for less product." Michonne explained, "Joe posted bond two weeks ago, since then it's been a constant string of threats."
"And you guys willingly let him post bail? A guy with—I'm assuming—a hefty criminal record. Wow, you guys are smart." Beth huffed, trying to get her legs into her blue jeans.
"Listen, doctor, I didn't make the rules, and I sure as hell didn't let Joe Kober out of the Fulton County Detention Center, either. We just need you to be aware, we're doing all we can." Michonne explained.
Beth bit her lip hard—so hard she could taste blood, and swallowed back tears. She couldn't cry; not now.
"Have you called Rick? Daryl? Anyone?" Beth asked.
"They're homicide, but since Rick is family, I let 'im know. I know it's hard, but we really are doing all we can." Michonne told her. Beth tried to keep the phone steady in her hand.
"Is there any way we can track them down? Any way we can solve this? What about a SWAT team?" Beth asked.
"We can't send a SWAT team until we know where they are. Right now, we're trying to track down any leads we can. I'll keep you updated. I'm sorry, Beth." Michonne said.
"It's okay, really, I understand." Beth said calmly, "I do. It's just my sister, you know? Her an' Glenn. They're my family. I love them."
"I understand, Beth. Like I said, I'll keep you posted." Michonne replied, hanging up. Beth finished putting on her shirt, throwing her hair into a loose ponytail. She put on her glasses, grabbed her sneakers, and marched across the hall, banging on Daryl's bedroom door, until she heard him cuss and mutter as he answered.
"What the hell you want, doc? It's two-thirty in the mornin'." Daryl said, running a hand through his messy hair.
"Maggie an' Glenn were kidnapped by a bunch of bikers. Man named Joe Kober. You familiar with 'im?" Beth asked. Her stance was strong, her shoulders were squared. She'd be damned if she didn't try to help her only sister.
"Joe Kober? Wasn't he in the.." Daryl began.
"Fulton County Detention Center? Yeah. He posted bail. Two weeks ago." Beth replied curtly. Daryl took a deep breath in as Beth's jaw tensed.
"An' you're sure he took your sister an' Glenn?" Daryl asked.
"Michonne Benjamin just called me and told me. I wouldn't be waking you up in the middle of the night if it wasn't important, Daryl." Beth said.
"So, why you tellin' me? That's SVU's problem. I'm homicide." Daryl replied.
"No, no, you don't get to do that. You're one of the best. Michonne knows it, Glenn knows it, Rick knows it, hell, even Gareth knows it. You're a tracker. You can track. You can help me find out where the hell they are." Beth said, her voice threatening to break.
"That's against the rules, Greene. Can't do that." Daryl said.
"Yes, you can, and you will. I need your help. I don't want those two in my morgue." Beth huffed. Daryl seemed to be studying her for a moment, taking in the crazed look in her eye. Beth was serious; she'd track down whoever it was at whichever biker bar they happened to frequent. She didn't care, she just needed to find Glenn and Maggie.
"Fine. Fine, I'll help you. But we can't get directly involved." Daryl told her. She nodded.
"So, what's the first thing we do?" Beth asked.
"I happen to know one of Joe's old runnin' buddies, sold drugs for 'im for a while. He'll know where to look, if anythin'." Daryl replied.
"Who would that be?" Beth asked.
"Merle." Daryl said.
They'd asked to meet Merle at his and Carol's new place. By the time they pulled up in Beth's black mustang, Merle was already waiting on the front porch, smoking a cigarette. He seemed troubled, and Beth thought he looked a little rough for the sweet doctor who worked with her.
"Merle." Daryl greeted, hugging his brother.
"Daryl. An' who would this be? Looks like Little Bo Peep to me." Merle teased.
"Doctor Beth Greene, Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office." Beth said, sticking out her hand. Merle shook it, grinning.
"So you work with Miss Carol? You're little Doc Greene." Merle said, making the connection, "She thinks mighty highly of you."
"Well, I think mighty highly of her, too, Merle." Beth said.
"So, what y'all here for, in the middle of the night? What's the 'mergency?" Merle asked.
"My sister, Maggie Rhee, is a prosecutor. Works for the DA. She and her husband, who is an Atlanta cop, were apparently taken by a man named Joe Kober. You know him?" Beth asked. Merle's face grew pale, the grin no longer there. He looked around, and quieted his voice.
"Yeah, I know 'im." Merle replied, "Ain't nothin' good about him."
"You know where we can find 'im?" Daryl asked. Merle looked at Beth and Daryl in disbelief, hoping they were joking somehow.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Joe runs 'imself a bar, one of 'is only legal business ventures. It's outside the city on the highway, called Rattlesnake Saloon. Ya can't miss it, it's just off the highway on the right, leavin' Atlanta. He'll be there. So will Len an' Lou." Merle explained.
"Good. Now I know where to find them." Beth said, taking off to her car.
"Wait, wait, hold up a sec, Bo Peep. You ain't seriously thinkin' of goin' out there an' tellin' Joe Kober what's what, are you? That's how ya get your little happy self killed." Merle said.
"Don't care. Got a .357 in my car. I'll do whatever I've gotta do to make sure Maggie's okay. If that's marchin' in there, callin' the cops, so be it." Beth replied.
"Little brother, she has lost her damn mind." Beth heard Merle say. Daryl walked quickly behind her, grabbing her arm.
"Hold up just a sec, Beth. We need to just walk in there, see if we can see Joe, then call the police. We can't go shoot 'em all." Daryl said. Beth surmised that he was right, and nodded.
"Fine. I'll call Michonne, let 'er know. Then, when we get there, we can call for backup." Beth said.
"Got yourself a firecracker, huh little brother?" Merle asked.
"She ain't mine." Daryl said, "Just know her."
"Well, she ain't one to mess with. Y'all please be careful, alright? I'd like my son or daughter to meet their uncle." Merle said.
"You got it, Merle." Daryl replied, "We'll be okay."
Beth hopped in the drivers seat, shifting gears as the loud V8 engine roared to life. Daryl sat in the passenger seat, staring at her incredulously.
"Whatcha starin' at, Daryl?" Beth asked, shifting gears as she picked up speed.
"Didn't expect ya to be drivin' a stick shift. Or a Mustang, much less one like this." Daryl said, smirking.
"Well, to tell you the truth, this was a present. My first car was a 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier, I bought it with babysittin' money and tips from waitin' tables at 17. My parents told me if I graduated medical school, they'd get me my dream car. I graduated medical school, so they surprised me with this, the day before graduation." Beth explained. Daryl nodded.
"My first truck was a '74 Ford. My dad bought it for me, told me if I fixed it up, he'd pay for gas. So I fixed it up. He was surprised." Daryl said, chuckling.
"Well, I was always racin'. When Rick an' Shawn were younger, they fixed up this fox body Mustang, and drag raced it. I wanted a Mustang ever since." Beth said.
"Well, a black Mustang, with a manual transmission? That's badass, if I say so myself." Daryl said.
"Well, it's gonna be even more badass if we have to make a quick exit." Beth replied, "Especially after I call the cops on that Joe guy's sorry ass."
"You need to be careful, doc." Daryl told her, "These ain't your run-of-the-mill criminals. These guys'll kiss you."
"I know. I see what people like him do every day. That's why I keep a gun in my car." Beth said.
"You serious?" Daryl asked.
"Check under your seat." Beth replied. Daryl reached down, and sure enough, pulled out a Taurus .357, with a short barrel, a surprised look coming over his features. He checked the chamber, and then gasped.
"It's loaded?!" Daryl asked, quite surprised.
"Duh. Yes, Daryl, I'm gonna carry around an unloaded gun, because that'll deter a criminal." Beth said sarcastically.
"You've got hollow points in here! What the hell?!" Daryl asked.
"Don't want 'em walkin' away." Beth replied coolly, speeding up on the highway. She was going nearly 95 miles per hour, and though Daryl didn't typically panic, he was starting to reach for the steering wheel as Beth shifted into gear again.
"Uh, Beth, doc, you might wanna slow down." Daryl muttered.
"No." Was all that Beth replied, as she headed outside the city. Before they knew it, they were entering King County, and the Rattlesnake Saloon appeared in view, clear as day. She parked on the far end of the parking lot, secretly wishing that her car was just a little bit quieter. Beth reached over, grabbing her gun, checking the chamber, and sticking it in her purse.
"What the hell are you doin'? We don't go in guns blazin', we gotta play it cool." Daryl explained.
"Tell me you don't have something on you right now." Beth snapped. Daryl didn't, just revealing a police issued Glock in a shoulder-holster under his angel wing vest. Beth rolled her eyes, walking up to the front, Daryl trailing along behind her, muttering obscenities under his breath at the reckless behavior that Beth was displaying. Beth swung open the door, looking wildly at the bar's patrons. It seems that there were only a few stragglers, the rest had gone home.
"Well, missy, you look like you're lookin' for someone. Why don't you mosey over here, lemme help ya out." Called the bartender. Beth walked fearlessly over to the bar, and Daryl walked closely behind.
"Hey there, sir. My name is Dr. Beth Greene, an' I'm lookin' for a gentleman, heard he might be able to help me out." Beth replied, sweet as could be. Daryl was amazed; she could pour on the charm.
"Whatcha need, ma'am? Lost a boyfriend? Husband? Daddy?" The bartender asked.
"No, actually. I ain't married, an' daddy's drinkin' days are long behind 'im. Actually, I was lookin' for a man by the name of Joe Kober." Beth said, a smile wide on her face. The bartender smiled, drying another glass, and placing it behind the counter.
"Well, you're in luck, ma'am. You're lookin' right at 'im." Joe said, extending his hand. Beth shook it, batting her eyes in a delicate, sweet manner. Daryl had to admit, she had Joe wrapped around her finger and she'd only been in there all of five minutes.
"Mr. Kober, you're just the man I've been lookin' for. I've heard quite a bit about you." Beth said sweetly. Joe smiled, a gleam in his eye. It made Daryl's blood run cold.
"Good things, I hope." Joe replied.
"I guess you could say that." Beth said, pulling out her phone, "See this picture? This is my sister, Maggie Rhee. That's her husband, Glenn. I'm lookin' for both of 'em, seems they've turned up missin'. They said that this was where they were headed. You see 'em in here? See, Mags isn't the type to ignore my phone calls, she wouldn't just up an' run away, not without tellin' me or my brother. The police ain't gonna do anythin' until they've been missin' 48 hours, an' I work in the morgue, I don't wanna do an autopsy on my only sister's body. I figured if anyone had seen them, it might be you." Beth knew she was stretching the truth, but she didn't care. Yes, the police already knew Maggie and Glenn were gone, but Joe didn't need to know that.
"Little miss, do you even know what you're getting into, walkin' into a place like this at this time of night?" Joe asked, smirking. Beth leaned over the bar, not even thinking.
"Of course I do, Mr. Kober. An' I'll have you know, I ain't afraid of any of you in here. Now, I'm not accusin' you of anythin', because obviously you've been behind this bar all night, an' I'm sure you're tired. I just need to know if you've seen 'em at all, sir." Beth said, her voice sweet as sugar, but her eyes nearly black. Joe looked at Daryl, and then back at Beth.
"Why'd you bring a cop in here, then?" Joe asked, "Because I know who his brother is, and I know who Daryl is."
"Daryl's with me. His division is homicide, anyway, Joe. Now, here's the thing, either you can tell me what you know, help me find my only sister, or, I can shoot you point-blank and then drop the other three guys in this bar so quick it'll make your head spin." Beth threatened. Joe laughed.
"You couldn't hurt a fly, honey. You might be intimidating, if I were a daffodil." Joe replied, laughing. Quickly, Beth removed her revolver from her purse, pulling the hammer back and pointing it straight at Joe's head.
"I grew up country, Joe. I learned how to shoot before I learned how to read. I've got more than enough rounds to drop everyone in this bar. An' I know you're reachin' for that gun underneath the bar. I ain't an idiot. I'm not lookin' to get you arrested, but I sure as hell ain't leavin' till you tell me what you know." Beth growled. Joe looked thoroughly stunned, and raised his hands in defeat. The other three men left the bar in a hurry, letting the doors swing behind them.
"Alright, yes, doc, I saw 'em both here, tonight. They didn't exactly come in, though. They were on their way in, someone stopped 'em." Joe replied.
"And why the damn hell did you not call the cops?!" Beth growled.
"With all do respect, ma'am, I'm on the opposite side of the law." Joe explained.
"What'd the person look like?" Beth asked.
"It was two men. Couple of Atlanta thugs, I know one is named Crowley. The other is Robbie Shumpert. He's come in here before." Joe answered.
"So you're sayin' you don't have anythin' to do with my sister bein' gone? That this isn't because you're out on bail?" Beth asked.
"Me? No. I may have my vices, Miss Beth, but kidnapping isn't my game. If they owed me something, I'd just kill 'em. No, I know who those guys work for, though. It's Senator Heriot." Joe replied. Beth was obviously shocked, her mouth ajar for a good five seconds.
"You know the guy?" Joe asked.
"He's my neighbor." Beth replied.
"Well, he offed his campaign manager yesterday. He tried to hire one of my boys to 'take care of it'. We're not in the murder for hire business, though." Joe said.
Beth released the hammer of her gun, sticking it back in her purse. "Well, Mr. Kober, I appreciate the honesty. How do you know they work for Senator Heriot?" Beth asked.
"Shumpert and Crowley run their mouth." Joe replied.
"Lucky for us then, right?" Beth asked. Joe shrugged. Beth dug into her pocket, pulling out a $20 bill and slamming it on the counter.
"What's that for?" Joe asked.
"I need a shot. Or two. Hell, I dunno. Gimme a couple of shots of Jack. Daryl will have one, too. Least I could do, since I pointed a gun in your face an' all. Keep the rest, consider it a tip." Beth shrugged. Joe's face erupted in a smile, and Daryl walked closer to the bar. Beth took her shots quickly, wincing slightly as the whiskey burned. Daryl took his shot quickly as well, sliding the shot glass back toward Joe.
"Well, little miss, you're a spitfire, I'll give ya that. You're welcome here any time. Never met a little lady quite like yourself." Joe laughed.
"Well, Mr. Kober—Joe—I'm not quite like normal little ladies." Beth replied, chuckling.
"Daryl, send Merle my regards. Hear he's tied the knot. You're welcome here too, when you're not wearin' a badge or gun." Joe said.
"Thanks." Daryl muttered.
"Thank you, for the information and for the whiskey, but it seems I need to go skin myself a politician. Have a lovely evenin', Joe." Beth said, waving as she walked out the door. Joe bid her farewell, as Daryl walked out behind her. Beth climbed into her Mustang, and Daryl climbed in behind her, a look of amusement on his face.
"Greene, I didn't take ya for a biker chick." Daryl laughed. Beth was again speeding on the highway, and Daryl was, again, holding on to the roof handle.
"Shawn used to have a drinkin' problem, had a few problems for a while, actually. I've had to drag him outta more bars than I can count, kick off a few unneighborly types." Beth replied as they drove into Atlanta. Beth reached for her cell phone, and noticed she had a missed call from Michonne.
"Michonne? What's goin' on?" Beth asked.
"We, um, found your sister and brother-in-law." Michonne said. Beth's stomach dropped; she was afraid of the worst.
"Yeah?" Beth whispered.
"They're okay. They're at Atlanta Medical Center now. I don't know any other details. Turns out, it wasn't Joe." Michonne explained.
"They're okay? Oh thank God. Oh thank you, thank you Michonne! I did know it wasn't Joe...I kind of stopped by his bar, asked a few questions." Beth explained sheepishly.
"You stopped by his bar?" Michonne repeated, asking Beth.
"Yeah. I did." Beth replied.
"Do you realize how dangerous that is?! You could've gotten yourself killed!" Michonne exclaimed.
"I know, I know. But Joe did tell me Glenn and Maggie met two guys in the bar parking lot. Crowley and Shumpert were their names. Robbie Shumpert. I didn't get a first name on Crowley." Beth replied.
"Wait. You got names?" Michonne asked.
"Yeah. Seems Joe will talk to young blondes." Beth replied.
"Well, that's a start. Anyway, come on down here. Maggie will wanna see you." Michonne replied, hanging up the phone. Beth leaned back into her seat, sighing heavily.
"So where we go now?" Daryl asked.
"Atlanta Regional Medical Center. They're there. But they're alive. They're okay." Beth told him.
"Alright then. Atlanta it is." Daryl said. The two sped off, connecting with the interstate and driving into the city. The two arrived, parking at the emergency room, and rushing in. Beth's parents and her brother were already there waiting, with Shawn pacing back and forth.
"Guys! Guys! Where's Maggie?" Beth asked. Maggie came walking out of the bathroom, a sad look on her face.
"Hey, I'm okay." Maggie said, her eyes tearful. Beth hugged her sister tightly, crying.
"Where's Glenn?" Beth asked.
"He's in surgery. A collapsed lung." Maggie said tearfully.
"Alright, that's common. They can fix that. Really, it happens all the time, Mags. It's an easy fix." Beth tried to be reassuring, but she knew that it was pointless, especially because Maggie had always been a worrier, and this would make it worse.
Fortunately for them, the doctor emerged an hour later, saying that Glenn would be fine and that he was lucky he got to the hospital in time. Beth breathed a sigh of relief, and decided to return to her apartment with Daryl. The two walked up to the third floor, into Beth's apartment, both equally exhausted.
"I'm gonna go to sleep for a while. Night." Daryl mumbled, hitting the couch as soon as he could. Beth yawned, deliriously walking into the bathroom and washing her face. When she returned, Daryl was no longer on the couch. All it took was Beth to walk down the hall to see that Daryl was mistakenly lying in her bed.
"Daryl. Get up." Beth said, trying to shake him.
"No." Daryl mumbled, rolling over. Beth huffed. It was useless. Beth decided to pick her battles, and climbed into bed next to him. At least the bed was warm, and she was too tired to care.
After all, just a few hours couldn't hurt anything, right?