Carol and Andrea sat on the couch inside of The Governor's apartments. Each had a glass of whiskey on the rocks they were sipping on. Andrea had poured half of the bottle out already to give the impression that they'd been drinking for a while and both were telling each other stories that made the other laugh, to give the impression of two good friends sharing good times.
The Governor arrived as expected, caught off guard by the sound of giggling in the other room. Frowning with confusion, he walked slowly into the living room to find the two women doubled over with laughter and a genuine smile spread across his face. He had been suspicious all day, with a feeling in his gut that something was off, but finding these two like this, through off his paranoia.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Phillip asked smoothly, grinning at how silly the two of them were acting.
Both women looked up, surprised, and burst out laughing again.
Andrea stood to pour him a drink but he waved her off.
"No, no. I'm good. You two enjoy yourselves." He said, putting his arms around Andrea possessively.
Carol stood, pretending that she wanted to leave them alone. The plan was for Andrea to keep the Governor occupied while Carol slipped out to retrieve the message that Rick and the others were supposed to leave her. Earlier, Andrea had snuck a bow and arrow out of the armory for Carol as well, so she could shoot them a message back. It would be a blind shot in the dark. Hopefully, they would find it.
"No. Don't leave on my account." Phillip said to Carol, smiling warmly at her.
Phillip had a hard time maintaining his paranoia with this new friend of Andreas. She was very unassuming and shy, giving her a harmless energy about her, even vulnerable. Aaron had taken to her right away and always acted chivalrously around her. Even Merle was…gentle, at least as gentle as Merle could be.
All in all, he liked her.
"No. I've already had my fill tonight. I should go to bed before I end up on the floor. Thank you, though. You're very kind." Carol smiled at him, making sure that her eyes didn't make contact for very long with him.
Andrea got up to follow her to the door, opening it, and leaning over to give Carol a hug.
"Thanks. It's been a while since I've laughed like that." Andrea said.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Carol replied, waving one last time at the Governor who held his hand up in return.
With that, Carol walked out the door, meandering her way lazily down the sidewalk, appearing to be on an evening stroll. Humming to herself, she tried very hard to seem casual and when she got to the end of the sidewalk near her building, she looked around to make sure no one was looking, before she ducked around the back and into the alley. Rushing to the end of the alley, she opened the garbage dumpster and pulled the rope and bow and arrows out of it, slinging it over her shoulder. Climbing awkwardly on top of the dumpster, she jumped to grab the wall, latching onto the top. Struggling to pull herself up, she swung her legs over to push off the brick of the building in order to boost her onto the ledge. From there, she could grab the fire escape ladder and began to climb.
Reaching the top, she wrapped her arm around the rung and pulled herself on top. Keeping low so the men on the wall wouldn't see her, she scurried to the forest-facing edge of the building. Notching the arrow that had the message rubberbanded to the sheaf, she gritted her teeth and pulled the string back for all she was worth. All she had to do was hit the ground with it.
Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly as Andrea taught her, and released her fingers.
Thud. The arrow hit the ground in front of the forest.
Now, she had to retrieve the message they left in the bushes below the wall she had just climbed.
Climbing slowly back down the ladder, she grabbed the rope. Tying it to the ladder, she tossed the other end over the wall and began to lower herself.
The hard part would be climbing back up.
Her feet hit the ground quietly and she rushed to the bushes but nothing was there.
Oh no, she thought to herself, Something was wrong.
Panic began to overwhelm her and her breathing became quickened. She began shaking with fear and it took all of her courage not to bolt. Slowing her breathing down, she allowed herself to think about Sophia. She thought about if Sophia was here and in danger, what would she be willing to do. This mission could save all of the surviving little girls in the world.
This would be her way to honor the child she lost.
Steeling herself, she crouched behind the bushes and waited.
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Michonne ducked low, bolting across the open expanse between the forest and Woodbury's back wall. Daryl stood behind the treeline, covering her in case one of the guards spotted her. He got down low and began moving across the ground to continue to cover her.
Michonne moved fast, darting quickly the moment the guard turned to walk the other way. Then, she saw something fly over her head and dropped to the ground, just as a guard turned to look that way.
Michonne watched, like a predator's last intense gaze before striking, without moving, without a sound. Her breathing shallow and slow, she waited, peeking behind her as she saw a slight amount of movement behind her.
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Daryl heard the thud on the ground and darted behind the tree, not knowing what it was. Poking his head out from behind the tree, he saw an arrow stuck in the ground and crouched low.
Something was on it.
Reaching out his hand, he grabbed the arrow, pulling it toward him. He immediately saw the paper wrapped around the sheaf and pulled it out. Not wanting to leave Michonne without cover, he motioned for Rick who was just behind him with the sniper rifle.
"What is it?" Rick whispered, moving closer to Daryl.
"It's a note." Daryl said, handing it to him.
Rick turned his back to the town and pulled out his mini-light. Opening up his jacket to cover the glow, he shined it on the note.
"Shit!" He growled, almost too loudly.
Daryl hurried over to him.
"What?" he asked.
"Andrea's alive." Rick said.
"Is that bad?" Daryl asked, arching an eyebrow at him. He didn't especially like Andrea, she did shoot him after all, but he didn't hate her.
"No, but she's inside Woodbury. With the Governor." Rick said, "She's gonna try to get the flash drive but Carol and her are gonna have to escape together once they have it."
Daryl shook his head, letting out a deep sigh.
"This just keeps getting more and more complicated." He muttered, turning back to cover Michonne.
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Carol was watching the open area and thought she saw a figure moving her way. She was about to motion when one of the guards on the wall shined a huge floodlight into the open area, and all hell broke loose.
Michonne, who had been running in a full crouch, instantly bolted. Turning back toward the forest, she zigzagged in order to avoid getting shot.
Gunfire broke out, spraying the area and the town of Woodbury went on full alert.
Carol was in trouble.
Crouched in the bushes along the bottom of the outer wall, she was caught between the guards who were going to jump down on the lower wall and see her rope any minute now.
From the treeline, Daryl had grabbed his rifle the moment he saw the light flash and took a shot at one of the guards, hitting him in the shoulder and knocking him off the wall.
Carol heard the sound of the guard's body hit the ground and knew she had to go now if she was going to get back inside the wall.
Waiting for the next spray of gunfire, she grabbed the rope and began climbing. The burst of adrenaline fueling her strength, she scaled the wall. Reaching the top, she pulled the rope with her, throwing it and the bow and arrow back into the dumpster. Just as she was about to bolt, guards turned the corner and came running down the alley.
The only place left for her to go, was into the dumpster as well.
Carol huddled in the garbage, trying to cover herself in the cardboard that lay within, listening to the sounds of guards jumping on top of it. She knew she was in trouble. She knew that she'd have to stay inside the dumpster until the fight was over and then somehow make it back to her room without anyone knowing.
For now, there was nothing she could do but listen…and wait.