Ch. 24
"Sir. Jake didn't come back," Martinez started.
He was standing in the Governor's home, watching as the man paced back and forth. They'd expected the kid back hours ago, but he had yet to show.
"They probably got him," Martinez continued. "Or maybe the biters did."
"They've got him, I'm sure."
"Killed him?"
"No. They'll want information from him. And he will probably give it."
"The kid seemed pretty loyal. I'd give him some credit."
The Governor chuckled.
"You stupid man. There's only so long that a kid like him can take torture. That's what they're doing, you know. Torturing him."
"That's not right. He's just a kid."
"Exactly. Which is why we're going to get him back. Tonight. Go get Eric, Timothy, Terrance - get six or seven of our best men, and have the trucks loaded in the hour. We're going to pay our friends a visit."
00
"Tell me, kid. What's the Governor's plan?"
Rick was sitting in front of Jacob once again, staring him down. The kid looked terrified.
"He'll kill me," Jacob mumbled.
"And I'll kill you if you don't speak up. Either way, you're dead. Make your choice!"
"Can...Can you let me go, if I tell you? I don't even wanna go back to him, man. I just want to leave. Try out on my own. Every time I run into a group there's trouble and I'm tired of it."
Rick looked deep into the kid's eyes. Read his features and body language. He seemed sincere.
"We might be able to arrange that."
Jake's shoulders slumped.
"Alright, then. The Governor wants to play with Daryl. Fuck with him, you know. Punish him. He's pissed and he wants Daryl to suffer for leaving and… ya know."
"I dont know."
"...Takin' the child. He wants the baby. He wants Daryl to hurt, and then when hes done sending stuff, he's gonna attack. Gonna 'take back what's his'."
"And when's this attack supposed to occur?"
"I don't know. There's no like, set date. Since I haven't come back I expect the timing will be moved up some. He'll attack, blame it on you all capturing me. Most people back there believe him, believe in him. They'll do what he says."
"Great," Rick said, under his breath. He'd thought they'd at least have had a few days, maybe enough time for Glenn and Maggie to get back.
00
After his second talk with Jake, Rick ordered everyone to do a sweep of the hospital and to gather any extra supplies that they might need. They were to head out that evening - the sooner the better.
The group worked well together - Michonne and David keeping watch while Beth, Rick, Carol and Carl searched the hospital one last time.
Daryl was the only one not doing anything, and that was because he'd been ordered not to. The only thing he had to do, according to Hershel, was to get dressed and be ready to go.
The hunter no longer had many articles of clothing. There was a pair of jeans that David had gifted him with, but they were too small now, and a couple of t-shirts that Carol had found in a lost-and-found box in one of the hallways. The rest of his wardrobe consisted of hospital scrubs.
Nonetheless, he threw on one of the t-shirts - an XL sized gray one with a Nike logo on it - and a pair of blue scrub pants. After that, he sat on his bed, waiting for his next orders and trying not to feel too resentful.
No one had told him what was going on except that they were leaving. Something bad must have been on the verge of happening but of course the others didn't want to 'stress him out' so they'd left him in the dark.
Sighing, he rested a hand on his stomach. Just a few hours prior, he'd felt the baby kick for the first time. Everyone had been so busy with their captive that he hadn't had a chance to mention it, but it made him happy. It was proof that the kid was alive and probably healthy.
"It's gonna be alright," he said aloud. "We're gonna get outta here, and you and me and Carol are gonna be a nice little family, and I'll teach ya how to hunt and track and shoot."
Just the thought of all that made Daryl feel better. After a few minutes, he felt another kick.
"Yeah, yeah, calm down. We're going soon."
As if on cue, Carl poked his head through the door at that exact moment.
"Dad's got the van ready. You're going with him, Carol, Michonne, Judith and me."
"And what about everyone else?"
"They'll be following. You got anything else you need in here?"
"No."
"Good, then let's get going."
Daryl followed the boy out into the hallway. Michonne and Carol were already waiting near the exit. Carol had Judith in her arms.
"Come on, let's get going," Michonne said.
The group followed him down a flight of stairs and out into the garage, where Rick was waiting near the van. He took Judith from Carol's arms and put her into a car seat - something they'd picked up from an abandoned car previously.
Then he turned around.
"Go on, get in."
Michonne climbed into the front seat, while Carl and Carol sandwiched Judith between them. Daryl was left to get into the back.
Rick had just sat down in the driver's seat when the first shot sounded. It was quickly followed by another, then another.
They were under attack.
Without missing a beat, Michonne climbed out of the car.
"Go!" she yelled, stepping back. "Go now!"
"I can't leave you!" Rick protested.
"Save the baby and Daryl. Go, dammit!" The woman drew her sword and pointed it at Rick.
Knowing he wouldn't win this fight, he conceded.
"Fine. Here," he pulled his gun from its holster and shoved it into Michonne's hand, "When you get out, cross the border into South Carolina. Find the first overlook, we'll be waiting there."
Michonne nodded.
"Good luck," she said, slamming the passenger side door. "See you later."
00
The group drove for what seemed like hours. Daryl hadn't thought that they were so far from the state border but apparently they were.
The drive was silent, with the exception of Judith's occasional crying. Everyone in the car was wondering the same thing: Had their friends made it out alive?
Then, of course, there was the matter of Maggie and Glenn. They would likely come back to find the college empty, save for the bodies of their friends.
Both were horrible thoughts and Daryl did his best to push them from his mind, thinking about the baby instead. She had been kicking frequently during the ride.
She.
He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that the baby was a girl.
He again rested a hand on his belly, trying to calm her. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.
00
"Oh my God!"
Carol's shout woke Daryl up.
The van had swerved off the road. Daryl could feel it moving before it hit a large tree and came to a stop.
Carl was the first one out of the car.
"What the fuck?!" He yelled, walking towards the driver's side. Rick was seemingly okay. The front passenger side took the hit, by some miracle.
"I'm sorry!" Rick answered, getting out as well. "Is everyone okay?"
"I'm fine," Daryl called out. He hadn't felt much more than large jolt.
Judith was crying, so she was probably okay. Didn't look like she was hurt or bloody.
Then is eyes came to rest on Carol.
She had thrown her arm over Judith in an attempt to keep the car seat from moving forward, but had gotten knocked out herself. Her head rested against the seat in front of her, which was pushed pretty far back.
"Help me get her out of here," Daryl said, climbing over the middle seat to get out.
He pulled Judith from the wreck and handed her off to Carl.
"Rick, get over here!"
Rick ran around to the other side.
"Help me get her out," Daryl repeated.
Her legs were wedged up against the middle seat, and her body was twisted. Daryl wondered if she was dead. Just the thought of losing her made his heart beat faster. Rick must have had the same thought because he reached out to Carol's neck and checked for a pulse.
"She's still alive," he said.
"Thank God," Daryl replied. "Now come on. Help me."
Rick and Daryl did their best to free her, but it ended up being Carl who had done the most. His small hands most easily reached the lever on the side of the passenger seat and he was able, somehow, to move it forward, freeing Carol's legs.
The two men pulled her out and laid her on the side of the road. There didn't seem to be any walkers nearby, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't show up.
"Where the fuck are we?" Daryl asked, looking around.
Last he remembered they were on I-20.
"The border should be about 3 miles that way," Rick pointed down the road. "Probably an overlook somewhere nearby."
"Fuckin' Christ," Daryl cursed. This meant that they were going to have to carry Carol for a while, exposing themselves to the possibility of death the entire time.
"Fine, let's get going," he added.
He bent down to pick up Carol, but Rick stopped him.
"You're in no condition to be carrying her," he said, looking down at Daryl's stomach.
Rick was right - the exertion might stress the baby, but still.
"And there's no way that I'm going to let anyone else take her."
Rick frowned.
"If you end up… I don't know, going into labor, or getting hurt, you're one more person that we have to worry about."
"I'll be fine," Daryl replied, teeth clenched. He wanted to punch Rick for getting them into this mess! What the hell had the man swerved for?
Rick decided to back down yet again. He could see that Lori was watching, giving him an angry look. He'd only just missed her! She had appeared out of nowhere and now she was mad at him?! He glared back at her, then forced himself to return to the situation at hand.
"Fine. But if you start gettin' tired, you tell me."
"Yeah. Whatever." He turned to Carl, "Get what you can from the back. Blankets, meds, water. I'm gonna take my cross bow."
Carl nodded, handed the baby to Rick and went over to grab what he could, stuffing much of it into a large backpack. He then began to fill a smaller bag with whatever else would fit.
In the end, he slung the small pack over his shoulder and moved towards his father.
"Trade you?"
Rick nodded, handed Judith over and took the large bag for himself.
Meanwhile, Daryl took up his cross bow, then bent down next to Carol. He picked her up and began carrying her, bridal style, down the road.