A/N: Hay guys, I know it's been a while since I've made an update to this story and I'm sorry for taking as long as I have. And with the recent additions to Crysis Effect, I decided to make updates to this story as well. That being said, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm reposting the last three chapters.
The answer will probably be a rough one for some of you. You see, while I was away I had over 50 private messages waiting for me when I returned. 20 of them were about this story, last minute votes to the pairing option in the story that I never read before posting the 7th chapter. Therefore, the final results were off.
Everything will come together when all the chapters are reposted. But for now, let's get this going again. The changes will make themselves known almost immediately, so keep a lookout.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead.
Chapter 5: A New Haven?
"So, this dairy...you guys really have food?" Mark asked as the group of six made their way down a long stretch of dirt road through the woods toward the St. John farm. Jason stood behind the group with Carley while Mark and surprisingly Ben who wanted to tag along walked with the two brothers along the path.
"Sure do." replied Andy. "We've lost most of the cattle, but we still have lots of milk, butter and cheese stocked up."
"And with the vegetables we grow, we've got plenty of food." added Dan as they continued along.
While the others conversed, Carley turned to Jason. "It feels good to get out of that motel for a while. The whole Kenny/Lilly thing is starting to get a bit out of hand. Personally I'd feel safer if you took charge more."
The fighter nodded, "Kenny said roughly the same thing earlier. You really think I can take charge with everyone back there?"
"Sure. Everyone looks up to you a lot more than you think they do. It was your quick thinking that got us out of a lot of trouble since all this started. A couple of us even owe you our lives in one way or another." said the reporter with a small blush covering her cheeks. "You're young, but that doesn't take away the fact that you're good with this kind of thing."
They lapsed into silence, just the breeze around them and the crunching of dirt and rocks under their feet being the only sounds. "I don't think the whole group would be happy with me running things, to be honest." Jason said after a few moments.
Carley nodded, "Yeah, can't believe Larry tried to leave you behind like that." she smiled at him, "Seeing you knock him down a few pegs verbally, and physically, is actually pretty reassuring a lot of the time. Wish everyone could have you're resilience."
"It's as much a gift as it is a curse, Carls." the fighter admitted. "I can't afford to let my emotions take control in those high tension situations. Because at the end of the day, it isn't about me or what I feel. It's about keeping everyone alive, keeping Clementine alive."
The reporter gave him a warm look, "You really care about her, don't you?"
Jason nodded with a small smile of his own, "I'm not her family, just some guy that found her alone. But she trusts me, she looks up to me, I can't let her down. She's given me something to fight for in this fucked up world we live in, and until the day comes when I'm taken down I'll keep fighting until I have nothing left. And it's gonna be a long time before that happens."
"Sounds like a lonely job." said Carley looking forward again.
"It can be, but I push on. Hell, for all I know a future Mrs. Harlow is out there still waiting for me." he replied with a slight smirk. The woman smiled to herself and remained silent as they walked a little faster and rejoined the others.
Jason turned his gaze toward the reporter briefly before facing forward again. The two of them had formed a good friendship since they all had settled in back at the motel. Sometimes they would just sit and talk about random things when there was nothing to do, or paying each other a visit when one was on watch to keep them company.
She was also really good with Clementine. The two girls would hang out together every once in a while and it was either her or Katjaa that would keep an eye on her whenever Jason was out and about.
Over time, he had found himself stealing glances at her every so often. He had admitted to himself more than once that she was attractive, the reporter had a couple of years on him in terms of age but that didn't bother him in the slightest and didn't stop him from admiring her. And not only in her looks, she had a courageous personality, a strong will, and was a damn good shot. He liked all that about her.
"But thank god Jason showed up when he did." Mark said finishing his last statement.
"Yeah, why don't you tell us a little more about yourself, Jason?" Andy asked looking back at the younger man.
"Where ya from?" asked Dan.
"Chicago. Came down here to Georgia for vacation when everything started falling apart." he answered casually. Lying about his so called 'past' had become like second nature at this point. But it was certainly a lot better than telling them how he REALLY ended up outside of Atlanta.
"Right down to the good 'ole south huh? Good choice for a trip considerin'." replied Andy. "Y'all seem pretty settled in at that motor inn. Who's running things over there?"
"Asking an awful lot of questions, aren't we?" the fighter mused to himself but answered anyway. "We work as a group, everyone looks out for one another and watch each other's backs if it's needed."
Andy nodded, "I hear that. There are so many dumbasses out here fighting each other these days. It's just stupid.
The younger St. John looked over to Jason next, "How many people ya got over there anyway?"
That caused a couple of warning bells to go off in his head. No one would normally ask something like that unless it was for a specific purpose. "More than enough to defend ourselves if someone should start anything." he replied with a slight edge in his tone. Letting the brothers know not to dig too far into something they shouldn't be asking.
"Well, we'd love to get ya all out to the dairy." Andy said changing the subject. "Like I said before, we got plenty of food, and quite frankly, we could always use an extra helping hand."
Ben perked up, "In the summers, I used to help out on a goat farm."
"Yeah, that's great." said Dan. "Everythin' helps."
"Momma's been running the dairy for as long as I can remember, but now it's gettin-"
"-You think you're gonna cut me out of this?!" another voice from somewhere close by cut off the older St. John. The group stopped in their tracks, dropping low to the ground before moving slowly into the trees, hiding in the tall grass and behind wide trunks as they observed two men wearing masks fighting with each other on the road parallel to theirs.
"No one's trying to cut you out of anything!" the other man shouted at the first.
"Fuckin' bandits." Dan muttered as Mark brought his rifle to bare and Carley drew her pistol.
"Those look like the people that raided my camp." said Ben keeping low to the ground while the two masked men continued to be at each other's throats. The group stayed silent and watched the altercation until the one that started it exploded.
"FUCK YOU!" he kicked the other man to the ground, raising his shotgun and blasting him in the chest. "FUCK! YOU! FUCK! YOU!" Each word punctured with another blast from the weapon that turned the other bandit's insides into a bloody mash.
"Jesus..." Carley gasped at the brutality happening before them. When the gun seemed to run empty, the enraged bandit turned on his heel and stomped off, muttering 'asshole' under his breath as he left the area.
"The world out here has gone to shit." Andy said shaking his head, "Come on, let's get to the dairy farm where it's safe." Nobody needed to be told twice and got up to move. Jason cast one last glance toward the dead man before following after the others.
"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this..."
X
The rest of the trip was uneventful, but the event they all had witnessed had left a bad feeling in the pit of their stomachs as they entered the property that belonged to the St. Johns'.
Looking at the wide open fields and fenced in enclosures, Jason was immediately reminded of the Greene farm. Memories of Hershel and his family from those months ago coming back to him, especially that of what happened before he and the others had to leave.
Shaking his head, the fighter looked up as Andy spoke. "Here it is, the St. John's diary." he said with pride as they walked past several outfitted fences wrapped in barbed wire with smaller wires running along them and toward the two-story home on the small hill ahead of them. "Ya'll can see how we've kept this place so safe." he continued motioning to the fences that gave off an electric hum as they moved by them.
"The fence keeps them out?" asked Mark.
"You betcha. They fry like bugs in a zapper." replied the older St. John. "We're pushing 4,000 volts through that thing, with generators and amps."
"I'm gonna assume that's a lot." commented Carley.
"It is one hell of a set up you guys have." Jason said looking around the property. He was beyond impressed, the defense seemed to work for the most part, and there was more than enough to grow crops and store anything anyone would need. "The whole place seems untouched, like nothing outside has come in and damaged it."
"It suits us just fine." said Andy. "And it's worth protecting, hence all the juice." The screen door to the house closed making them look up to see a middle-aged woman with red hair coming down the wooden steps toward them.
"I thought I saw ya'll with company comin' down the drive!" she said warmly, her southern accent heavy.
Andy smiled before turning to them, "Guys, this is our mama." he introduced.
The woman smiled even wider, "I'm Brenda St. John and welcome to the St. John Dairy."
"This is Jason, he's from Chicago." her eldest son said motioning to the fighter.
"Chicago, huh? Big city boy come out to the country for a nice change of scenery I bet. Awful long way from home for ya though, darlin'" Brenda said not losing her charm.
"You have no idea." Jason thought to himself. "It was nice, before everything went bad out in the world." he admitted getting a sad nod from the woman.
Dan turned to her next, "They've also got a few more friends staying at the old motel."
"Oh my goodness, that place is pretty vulnerable." the matriarch stated. "Have you got someone with survival experience to lead your group?"
"We all work together, even got a couple of people with military experience." said Carley, "But Jason here's got the survival instincts, it's gotten us out of more than enough tight spots." He shot her a look and she just smiled back at him as Brenda spoke again.
"Well, that's good to hear. That motel ain't the safest place." she smiled again, "Now that y'all are here, we'll make sure you're safe and comfortable."
"Does that go for the rest of the people in our group?" asked the fighter to make sure that everyone would be taken care of.
"Our food stores are starting to really run low, we're really hungry." added Mark.
Brenda held up the basket that she had been carrying, filled to the top with biscuits. "These are for ya'll. Baked fresh this morning."
"Amazing!" Carley said in elation as each of them took one and tried them. For people who hadn't eaten much in the last week or so, it was like heaven to them when the flakey pastries made contact with their taste buds.
"Can't get stuff like that anymore, not without a cow for milk and butter, that's for sure." said Dan.
"That's right." added Brenda. "Hopefully Maybelle will make it through this bout of whatever she's got and be with us for a good-long while." she looked over at the nearby barn where the cow must have been kept.
"We have a vet with us!" Mark said thinking of Katjaa, "We could bring her here! We can help you folks out."
That brought of even wider smile to the matriarch's face. "A vet! Oh, my! Our prayers have been answered!"
"Maybe our whole group could come!-" Mark was shoved a bit and turned to see Jason glaring at him pointedly. Portraying a hidden message that he got instantly. "...for the day at least." he said fixing his error.
"Well how bout this, ya'll go get your veterinary friend, and I'll prepare some dinner. A big feast for all you hungry souls." offered Brenda. "It'll be nice to have some folks to help out around here again."
Jason nodded to her, "Sounds fair, I'll send a couple of us back to get the others and Mark and I will see what we can do around here."
Brenda turned to her youngest, "Danny, why don't you come help me out in the kitchen." the two made their way toward the house as the fighter turned to his group.
"Carley, you and Ben take the food back to the group and round them up for the trip back here. Mark and I will stay put and check this place out a little more. Don't go making any assumptions until we're sure that this place is locked down."
The reporter nodded while accepting the hunting rifle when Mark handed it to her. "Good luck you guys, take care of yourselves." The two set off back down the road they came up on, the two men watching their backs as they disappeared into the distance.
"Jason, Mark, why don't ya take a look around. Once ya get settled in, I could use some help securin' the perimeter." said Andy.
"Is there a problem with the fences?" asked the fighter, wondering if this little haven was as secure as they made them believe.
"Nothing like that. Sometimes, the dead get tangled up in the fence before they fry and end up knocking over a post. It'd be a big help if you two could walk the perimeter and make sure everything was set up properly. You can learn a lil somethin' about our fence. I'm gonna go top off the generators before they run dry. Come get me when you're ready."
When the farmer was out of hearing range, Mark turned to Jason. "This place is INCREDIBLE! It's got food! And that fence...oh man that fence! If we play our cards right, this might turn out to be a place we can stay..." he trailed off when he saw the look Jason was shooting his way. "...what?"
"You seem dead set on getting our people here when we just met these guys. We can't just openly trust people like that, Mark. There are too many factors that we don't know about." he said tensely while his gaze swept over the farm.
"Come on, Jason. This place is perfect for us. A lot better than the motor inn, and no one has to leave." Mark offered.
The fighter wasn't convinced. Ever since stepping foot on the property he had this rotten feeling in the pit of his stomach. Unlike Hershel's farm which had a warm and inviting feeling to it, this place felt...cold to him. The St. Johns came off as warm and inviting people, but there was something about them that seemed very off, like they were too eager to have them all there.
He couldn't explain it, like an instinct telling him that something wasn't right. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid. But it's better to be safe than sorry." "Come on, let's go check out that fence before the others get here. Make sure this place is as secure as they say before we even think about staying here."
The other man nodded in agreement as they began checking out everything on the farm.
X
After spending a good amount of time looking around and talking with the family, Jason and Mark found themselves walking around the outer fence of the property looking for anything that could be out of the ordinary.
It was an even more elaborate set up then they were first led to believe. Every fence had a generator connected to it with enough wires and amps to pump electricity through them. 4,000 volts zapping through a walker was a sure fire way to fry them from the inside out like an oversized bug-zapper.
Andy had said it was the only kind of entertainment around here anymore with the way things are at the moment.
Jason kept his guard up as he questioned Andy, Brenda and Dan, the same feeling from before hadn't left him and he was always taught to trust his instincts when something didn't seem right. Some of the answers they gave were a little unsettling, they were cryptic about what had happened to about half their staff when the others fled to find their families.
They had also mentioned something about others coming around here, staying a while and making deals before going on their way. It made him wonder, and in this particular universe you needed to stay on your toes when dealing with people you barely met in the off chance they turned on you at one point.
Focusing on the task at hand, the fighter walked along the perimeter with an axe in hand that he had borrowed from the St. Johns' tool shed incase they needed it.
"So how's the place looking?" asked Mark. "Is it safe enough for us to stay...if we can?"
"Seems alright with what they've done with it." Jason said as he kept his eyes open. "But let's see what it takes to secure the fence before we go making any rash decisions."
"I can't wait until everyone's out here. Well...everyone besides Larry that is." the other man looked over at his partner who had this look of concentration on his face. "Jase? What's up, man? You've been beyond tense since we got here."
The fighter sighed, "I don't know. Just a bad feeling I guess..." he looked up and saw a fried walker hung over the top of the fence, an arrow stabbed through the side of its neck and pinning it to the post.
"There's one." Mark said as they approached it, taking not of its charred form as it dangled there unmoving. "Eeugh." he groaned while Jason kicked it to be sure that it was really dead.
Satisfied, he grabbed the arrow that was pinning it and pulled it free. Looking over at a nearby light bulb that was hooked to another post, Andy had told them that if the bulbs were on it meant the fence was active. Seeing that it was off, he raised his foot and kicked the walker off of the fence sending it to the ground with a dull thud.
"Come on, let's see if there's any more." he said as they continued their check.
"Once this fence is patched up, this place'll be a fortress!" Mark said after a minute. "God, can you imagine not having to worry about the walkers anymore?"
Jason shrugged, "It still needs gas. It's useless when the St. Johns run out and there aren't anymore places to get it." he said honestly.
Looking toward the younger man, Mark furrowed his brow. Thinking back to what he had said a moment ago about having a bad feeling. "What's your take on the brothers? They seem to have this place tied down pretty well."
"Can't say for sure. But it ties in to that bad feeling I've been having." he stopped making the other man do the same. "Mark, if there's one thing I've learned since everything went to shit, it's that you should never take things at face value. There are people out there who will act like your friend to get what they want, and when they do and you're no longer useful..."
He shook his head, "Call me paranoid. But too much has happened for us to not take caution in a situation like this. And we have too much riding on our decision to be taken in by a few perks like that."
Mark nodded seriously, understanding exactly where the fighter was coming from. "I get what you're saying. Just know that I've got your back if anything goes down." Jason nodded his thanks as they started moving again, finding another walker leaning heavily on the fence and causing it to bow inward.
Using the axe to push the dead creature off, Jason brought it to bare when he found that its hands were still clenching on to the top wire. "Fence burned through the flesh so bad that its fused to the wire." he muttered before bringing the blade down on the first hand and severing it. A second shot had the body collapsing to the ground.
"Ya never get used to the smell, do ya?" asked Mark wrinkling his nose.
"Not really, but after a while it doesn't bother you nearly as much." came the reply as they walked on, leaving the severed hands grasping the fence.
"Christ, I can't stop thinking about dinner." Mark looked at his partner, "Thanks for the rations earlier. It's not easy eating in front of those that didn't get any, but it's all that's keeping me going right now."
"Just do what you can with what you have, we can ask for more when we get back after this." said the fighter as they passed a wooden gate that led to the outside of the property where a small silo was set up. An old tractor sat a few meters away along the dirt path that ran along the fence.
Here they found a third walker laying over the fence pinning it to the ground. A couple other walkers laid dead in the dirt path outside meaning they had located a spot where the creatures could get into the farm.
"I think we can get better leverage from the outside." Mark said as they climbed over the downed fence. Jason laid the axe off to the side as they each grabbed a downed post and pushed them back into place.
Just as the posts were set up right, all the bulbs suddenly lit up bright. The dead walker began shaking as the electric current began frying it's already charred body. "Holy fuck!" Mark shouted backing away as sparks shot out. "What the hell just happened?!"
"Don't know, just get clear!" Jason called back as they got a safe distance away.
The older man looked his way, "Why the hell would he turn the fence on?! He knows we're out here!" The fighter went to answer him when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked out into the woods and made out several forms moving about the trees, some of them taking up positions which cause his eyes to widen.
"MARK GET DOWN!" he shouted grabbing the man and pulling him to the ground just as three arrows flew past where he had been standing.
"I told you what would happen you son of a bitch!" someone called out from the forest as more arrows and a few gunshots zipped through the air. Jason and Mark dragged themselves along the ground and took cover behind the nearby tractor as the rounds pinged off the other side.
"JESUS!" Mark shouted as an arrow ricocheted off the top of the vehicle. "Who the fuck are these guys?!"
"We had an agreement! Now you're FUCKED!" shouted another attacker as they kept up the assault.
Jason looked over the tractor only to duck down when a stray round clipped close to his head. "Fuck, these guys aren't playing around." He looked around and quickly assessed the situation, the gate in the fence was their only means of escape, but if they made a run for it they'd be dead before they made it five steps. Looking to the tractor they had taken refuge behind he formed an idea.
"That gate is our only way out!" he pointed to the front wheels behind Mark, "Move those blocks, I'll detach the bailer connected on the other end, we'll use the tractor as mobile cover to help us get that far."
Nodding, the older man leaned out and quickly pulled the stopping blocks keeping the farm vehicle in place. At the same time, Jason moved to the back tire, reaching out and grasping the handle that kept the bailer attached.
An arrow zinged past, slicing a cut into the side of his face making him recoil and duck back into cover before another could connect. "I see ya you piece of shit!" said the shooter as more arrows and a few bullets bounced off the metal.
Feeling warmth drip down his cheek, Jason steeled himself as he leaned out again. Grabbing the handle and pulling it up before going back into cover. With the tractor now loose, it began to slowly creep along the dirt path toward the silo, the two men keeping low to the ground and following after it as the rounds and bolts continued raining down around them.
Their attackers kept moving along the trees, shouting out to them and firing on their cover while it moved. "Did you really think you can fuck with us!" one exclaimed as rifle fire could be heard followed by the loud ringing when the rounds peppered the tractor.
When they reached the half-way point their cover suddenly stopped, "Fuck." Jason looked down and found the front wheels hung up on a dead walker. "We've gotta move this guy, keep an eye out for me." he moved up and grabbed the corpse's arms and began to pull. The undead was a little heavier than he had expected, but he had managed to get it out of the way enough for the tractor to start rolling again.
The fighter moved quickly back into cover as more bolts flew past him. Moving along the path until the tractor was stopped again. "Another one?! How many of these things were laying out here?!" Mark growled as their cover continued to take hits.
"Just help me move it, we're almost there!' Jason shouted back as they each grabbed an arm and started to pull.
The walker rolled over and suddenly sprang to life. Decaying fingers gripping their wrists and trying to pull them down to its awaiting mouth. "Shit!" Jason raised his foot and brought his heel down hard on the creature's head, doing so a second and third time while they kept pulling.
There was a loud crunch, followed by the sound of tearing as the walker was literally torn in half. Intestines stretching as the duo moved the upper half out of the way, slamming both of their feet down on its head and crushing the skull to make sure it stayed down as they moved the rest of the way toward the gate.
It didn't take very long, the tractor connected with the front of the silo. "Mark move!" the fighter called out as they made a break of the gate, kicking it open and fleeing toward the farm house and leaving their attackers behind them.
"You lucky sons of bitches! Go ahead and run! We ain't goin' nowhere!" shouted someone from the trees.
"Just what the fuck was all that about?!" Mark shouted as the two of them ran through he fields as fast as their legs could take them. "Didn't they say that this place was safe?"
Jason nodded, "They did, and I'm gonna have a long talk with those guys when we see them." he growled as they entered through the inner fences.
Andy had just come out of the barn when he saw the two running toward the house as though the devil were after them, seeing the blood oozing down the side of the fighter's face he got worried and ran over to them. "Jason? What's wrong?"
"I thought you said this fucking place was safe!" the younger man demanded, throwing one of the arrows that had been shot at them at the man's feet. "There was a bunch of assholes out in the woods taking pot-shots at us! You call THAT safety?!"
Picking up the arrow, Andy's face darkened, "Fuckin' bandits! They have no right being out here on our property!"
"Oh, my lord! What happened?" asked Brenda as she and Dan came out of the house from all the commotion.
"It was those bastards in the woods, mama..." Andy said, trailing off just as the group from the motor in, minus Carley and Ben, came up the drive.
"Jase, Christ what happened?" Kenny asked seeing gash and the blood caked on the side of his friend's face. Clementine saw this as well and ran over to her guardian.
"I'm alright, a bunch of bandits out in the forest took some shots at me and Mark when we were checking out the perimeter. We got lucky and managed to get away before either of us took anything worse." he replied wiping the back of his shirt-sleeve on his cheek, only for more crimson liquid to replace what he had taken away.
"They gave us a lot of problems in the beginning," said Andy. "Killed a bunch of our farm hands. We were able to get 'em to stop by makin' a deal."
Jason felt his anger spike as Clementine hugged his side, "But you KNEW about this! You promised us a safe place, you should have told us you made deals with goddamn scumbags like that!"
Dan held up his hands, "Food for protection. Not like we had much of a choice, but they did stop hasslin' us...until now that is."
"God dammit! Carley said this place was locked down tight!" Larry growled.
The fighter breathed out slowly, "I told her not to make assumptions until we were sure." he then looked at the St. Johns, "And right now I'm starting to think that this place isn't any safer than our current location."
"Listen, we may have had an agreement with those people, but we will NOT stand for this shit." said the older brother seriously.
"Ain't no way we're gonna let those sons o' bitches get away with this!" added Dan.
"You know where these assholes are?" asked Kenny ready for a fight.
Dan nodded, "They're hard to pin down, but I think I know where at least ONE of their camps are."
Jason looked around the property, at all the trees and foliage that surrounded the entire place and wondered if the bandits that attacked him and Mark were still roaming around. "We can't risk going back to the motor inn right now, not with the possibility of those assholes still out there laying in wait. We'd be sitting ducks."
"So what should we do?" asked Mark as the others gathered around.
"Are you sure you know where one of those camps are?" the fighter asked giving Dan a critical look.
"Without a doubt." said the farmer. "Just let us know what you wanna do and we'll be ready." with that the brothers went back up to the house followed by their mother leaving the group to themselves.
"We can't stay here." Lilly said cutting in. "With those bandits out there it isn't safe for any of us."
"Not safe?!" Kenny asked scrutinizing. "This place is a hell of a lot safer than that motor inn! I think all of us and our guns can handle a couple of punks with bows and arrows."
"They've got guns too, Ken." Jason mentioned getting attention back on him. "As for the security of this place I'm not completely sure on it. But going back now would be a bad thing, those guys could be laying in wait for someone. So for the time being we'll stick around and wait for the coast to clear before making a break for home."
"Cool your jets there, Rambo." Larry said as calmly as he was able. "These here are good people, lets take it easy around here before they decide to throw us out before we eat."
He had to admit that he agreed with Larry on that one, even though the outside was sketchy the interior seemed better defended in comparison. Their people would be safe for the time being while they figured out what to do next.
"Alright, I'm going to head out with Dan and deal with the bandits." the fighter started explaining. "In the mean time you guys poke around here and make friends with Andy and Brenda. See what else you can figure out before we plan our next move." he looked at everyone before glancing at Lilly, "Where's Ben and Carley?"
"Since they ate some of the food on the way back to get us, they decided to stay behind and watch the motor in until we get back." replied the woman as Andy came back over to them.
"Hay kids, look what Jason got working for ya." he said pointing to a small swing that was set up under the tree closest to the house.
Both kids grinned from ear to ear, "A swing! I love swings! Just like at my treehouse! Come on, Duck!" Clementine said happily as they ran off to have fun. "Thanks Jason! You're the best!" the girl called over her shoulder bringing a smile to the fighter's face at her happiness. He saw the older St. John send a subtle wink his way before heading off to speak with his brother again.
The rest of the group split off in different directions, Kenny, Katjaa and Jason went over to check on the kids while Lilly and her father went over to the gazebo by the barn. Mark went off to check over the barn itself, glancing the fighter's way and giving him a nod.
"Something's on your mind, isn't it?" the fisherman asked recognizing the look on the younger man's face as they watched the kids enjoy themselves.
"Something doesn't feel right about this place, Kenny." he said in all seriousness. "I can feel it in my bones, but I have no way of proving it just yet."
Katjaa had dug through the fanny pack she was wearing, taking out a clean cloth and some bandages as she started treating the cut on the young man's face. "What kind of feeling are you having?" she asked more than a little curious.
Wincing when she finished cleaning the wound, Jason looked toward the farm-house. "Like an instinct screaming in the back of my head. Ever since we got here it's felt like there's something off. And the way they've been acting since we got here, they seem okay and inviting, but I've learned to look underneath the surface since all this began. I think they might be hiding something."
Kenny scratched at his chin, "I don't know man, I mean, your instincts haven't led us wrong before. But this place doesn't seem to be all that bad. You and Mark were just attacked by a bunch of punks for Christ's sake, that would put anyone on edge."
"Maybe. But I can remember an old saying; 'if it's too good to be true, it probably is'." the fighter looked up and paused as his charge came over to them.
"Jason, can you come push me on the swing? Please?" she asked with wide, innocent eyes.
Sighing, Jason smiled after Katjaa finished bandaging his face and stood up to walk the girl over to the swing. Standing behind Clementine before gently pushing the ropes and causing her to sway back and forth.
"How are you holding up, sweetheart?" he asked after a few moments.
"I'm okay I guess. Are you okay? That cut on your face looks like it hurt." she asked right back a little concerned.
"It doesn't hurt that bad. I'm mostly worried about everyone else at the moment." the fighter replied.
"Are you going to find the people who tried to hurt you and Mark?"
Jason nodded, "Yeah, we can't let them hurt anyone else. And as long as they're out and about we all could be in danger."
She looked over her shoulder at him, "Please be careful. I don't want anything else to happen to you."
"Ever since you and I met, I've had a lot of good luck Clem. So no worries about that." He looked at the farm around them, "What do you think of the dairy?"
"It's pretty. It reminds me of how things used to look before." said Clementine.
He nodded, "Yeah, it kinda does."
"Do you think things will ever get back to how they were?" she asked.
It was a loaded question, one that could instill or destroy any hope his young charge had in the world and how things would turn out in the future. "It's hard to say, but things can't be all bad forever. Someday things could go back to normal." he said with honesty.
Clementine nodded, "That's good. I hope it's soon."
"Me too, baby-girl." he muttered before changing the subject. "We should be safe here for the time being, after we're sure that it's all clear we can head back to the motor inn."
"Will you stop any bad people from getting me?" his charge asked as the swing stopped moving.
"Of course. I made a promise didn't I?" he said with a smile and getting a giggle out of the girl. "I think we should let Duck have a turn. I gotta be heading out soon anyway."
The young girl nodded, "You'll come back though, right?"
Jason grinned, "It'll take a lot more than a couple of jerks in the woods to keep me away. Just hang out with Duck and his family until I get back, okay?" His charge smiled as Kenny and Duck came up to have a go at the swing. The two men shared a knowing look before the fighter went over to the gate leading up to the house. Stepping through it and heading up the steps while the St. Johns brothers spoke on the porch.
"Jason," Andy said turning to him. "I'm real sorry you and your friend almost got killed out there. We should have told you how dangerous it was."
"No kidding." he said sarcastically. "You can't expect us to be making any kind of deals if you aren't up front with us. We have a good number of people in our group, KIDS, we can't afford to not know something like this."
Dan nodded, "We understand. And you saw what they did out there, what they were TRYING to do. Nobody's safe here until we start to fight back."
"None of us are up for getting into some kind of war either." Jason said stiffly, "But you're right about no one being safe. They can just as easily attack our home as well. So checking out their camps would definitely be a good place to start."
"Was thinking the exact same thing." said the younger St. John. "We recon the place, then mount up for some well deserved revenge."
The fighter picked up the subtle, dark hints in the man's tone and filed that away for the time being. "Who are these bandits anyway? Where did they come from?"
"We don't know." Andy said with a shrug. "We think some of 'em used to work at the big box up the way."
"Save Lots." said his brother, correcting him.
"Yeah. Anyway, they're nutty as hell. And get mad when they're hungry."
Dan turned to the fighter, "So, are ya ready to head out there and find their camp?"
Looking back toward where Clementine was sitting down and talking with Katjaa, Jason looked back at the brothers and nodded, "Yeah. It'll give us a good chance to figure out what these guys are after and how many they have on their side. So let's get to it."
Nodding, the younger brother approached a nearby chair and produced two 30-30 rifles. Handing one to Jason while making sure the one he had was loaded. "We're just doin' reconnaissance for now, but better to be safe than sorry when we get out there."
"I'll hold down the fort while ya'll are gone. Good luck." said Andy as the two made their way toward the farm's entrance.
Jason paused and looked up to see Clementine coming over to them. "Are you leaving now?" she asked looking at the gun in his hand.
"Yeah, but we'll be back soon." he replied gently.
She looked up into his eyes, "Please be lucky."
The fighter smiled, "I will be." with that they began making their trek toward the forest. Clementine watched them carefully as they slipped out of the dairy and headed into the woods.
A/N: I know a lot of you see where the pairing's going. But for those that don't, it will soon enough. Tell me what you think so far guys.