Chapter 29-Rising tensions
Merle's P.O.V
Merle stared at the graves and looked at Rick as he walked up to him. "We could have used that guy for info," Rick says. "
"He wouldn't have told us anything. He was more scared of Daemon than he was of us. He was more scared of him than he was of death."
"So we need to make a plan," Rick says. "You have any ideas."
"They know a lot about us, Rick. Our weaknesses, who to hit, but their group isn't big."
"How do you know?" Rick asks.
"Because only three attacked us. They probably wanted to keep the rest of their people back just in case it went wrong, with a plan to make sure we paid for killing them."
"I'm assuming you have a plan."
"Yeah, we let them come to us. We have enough food to last us a few weeks. We put a trap at each entrance. When they come to hit us against, they die," Merle says.
"What if they wait us out?" Rick asks.
"I don't think he will, this guy. Je attacked us for a reason. He wanted us to make a rash decision."
"It might work. Some people want to attack them," Rick says.
"We have to wait," Merle says. "So make sure they don't do anything stupid. I'm going to go and talk with Eugene," Merle says before he walks away.
Daune's P.O.V
Daune sat in his father's cell, staring at his things. He looked at the door as Glenn walked in. "I'm sorry about your Dad," Glenn says. "I know the feeling, having someone you love taken away from you in seconds."
"You put him down?" Daune asks Glenn, who nods.
"Did he die quick? Could you tell?" Daune asks.
"He was stabbed in the stomach and the heart. It wasn't painless, but it was probably pretty quick and better than being torn apart by walkers."
"I've lost everybody," Daune says. "My Mom and now my Dad."
"You still have us," Glenn tells him. "I know we aren't your parents, and we don't share blood with you, but we're family."
"Thanks," Daune says. Glenn nods as he pats the boy on the shoulder and leaves the cell.
Rick's P.O.V
Rick was in the armory looking at their stocks of grenades and other explosives. "What are you doing?" Rick turns around and looks at Rosita.
"We're going to set some traps for the people who attacked us, just in case they come at us again."
"You know how to set a trap?" Rosita asks. "With those?"
"Not really."
"Well, I do. Grab a few and follow me," Rosita tells him. Rick nods as he follows her out of the room.
Sasha's P.O.V
Sasha walked up to Merle's cell and looked at the man as he made marks on the map of the prison. "Where the hell did you get that?"
"Warden's office," Merle says. "Before Daryl and Lori started living in there. Now I don't even want to go in that damn room, too scared of what I'll see."
Sasha chuckles. "May I?"
"Sure," Merle says as Sasha sits down beside him.
"So what are you marking?"
"Places of entry into the prison, all of them, we'll set traps in each of them and catch the fuckers off guard when they come after us," Merle says. "I don't know how else to fight these assholes. We don't know where they are or how many of them are there."
"So we let them come to us?" Sasha asks.
"Yeah, we make sure they can't hit anybody in the watch towers, and we wait them out. If we need to leave for supplies, we go out into the woods and to the cars we hid," Merle says. "Michonne radioed Woodbury and let them know of the situation. They know to be on the lookout for anybody trying to join."
"What do we do after this, with people who want to join us?" Sasha asks hi.
"We are careful," Merle says. "We ask more questions, be more careful."
"I came here to talk to you about something. Felipe and Guillermo, they want blood. They want to attack, and they are convincing more people that it may be the best chance."
"Most are from D block, I assume?"
"Yeah, they are," Sasha says.
Merle nods as he stands up. "I'm going to D block. You coming?"
"Yeah," Sasha says with a smile as she follows him. Merle opens the door to the tombs and starts to walk through them until he reaches C-block, where he sees Guillermo talking with Felipe.
"What's the secret, boys?" Merle asks, making them look at him. "You don't need to tell me. I already know you want blood."
"They killed our people. They killed Miguel," Felipe says.
"They killed Morgan. You don't see Daune trying to do something stupid," Merle says. "I get it. You want revenge? I did, too. Once upon a time, I wanted to kill our very own, T-dog. But I didn't, because he was a good man. Now this prick that killed Miguel, Morgan, and all of these other people, he will die, but if you go after them, you will die, and Miguel would have died for nothing. They all would have died for nothing."
"So what is your plan then?"
"We wait for them to come here, and they will. When they do, we kill them, every last one of them, but only if you follow our plan because that is how we win."
"They could have a plan for this."
"They could, but they don't know what we have in terms of weapons, and they don't know about Eugene. We're going to set traps, and when they come after us, they will die by then, and then we'll kill them. I promise you that."
"They fooled you once."
"I know," Merle says. "You've trusted us before. Trust us now."
"He's right," Guillermo says. "Alright, boss, we'll wait, but when the time comes, we get one of the three assholes who came in here."
"Deal," Merle says before he leaves, and Sasha follows.
Daryl's P.O.V
Daryl looked at Lori as she walked into their room. "You okay?" Daryl asks her.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Lori says as she sits down beside him. "We got six months."
"Best six months of my life," Daryl tells her. "You know we'll be okay, right?"
"I know," Lori says before she kisses him. "I know."
"Then what's with that face?" Daryl asks her.
"We let them in here. We've been too trusting."
"I think Merle shares that opinion with you," Daryl says. "We'll be more careful from now on, but we have to save people. People are how we grow."
"I know," Lori says. "I have some ideas to help make sure this never happens again."
"What are they?"
Rick's P.O.V
Rick and Rosita were outside the prison, setting traps in between the trees. "How'd you learn to do that?" Rick asks as he watches her.
"I was with a group back in the beginning, they taught me a lot, and one of them taught me how to do this. I'm not just a pretty face, Mr. Grimes."
"I figured that out on day one," Rick says with a smile as he bends down. "So, how'd you run into Abraham and Eugene."
"We were fighting a group of walkers, and they came in. They saw what my group could do and asked us to join them. I'm the only one in my group left."
"You and Abraham?"
"We just wanted a release. It turned to more," Rosita tells him. "You were married to Lori, right?"
"Yeah, our relationship was falling apart before the fall. After we tried, but it didn't work. She and Daryl have only been together for six months and are happier than Lori and I were in our entire relationship."
"You think you'll get into another relationship," Rosita asks as she looks at the grenade.
"If I find the right woman," Rick says as he looks at her and then at the grenade. "Show me how to do this."
"Alright."
Merle's P.O.V
That night Merle lay in his cell and looked up when he heard a knock. "Come in," Merle says, and Sasha enters the cell. "Another problem?"
"No," Sasha says as she moves his feet back and sits down. "I just wanted to say you did good today. You're a good leader."
"You wanna know the truth about my feelings about leading?" Merle asks Sasha, who nods.
"Those people in D block, or any other block that isn't this one, I don't really care what happens to them, I wanna keep them safe, but my goal will always be protecting my brother, Lori, Judith, the people in this cellblock...and you," Merle tells her after a moment.
"At least you're honest," Sasha says with a smile. "Who thought Merle Dixon had a heart."
"A small one, but it is there," Merle says with a smirk as he sits up. "I just don't wanna lose anybody else. I'm okay with leading because I know I can make a future for these people, for my brother. I owe him that at least, after all the shit I put him through."
"You're brother will love you no matter what."
"I know, but still, he's finally happy. I wanna keep it that way."
"Then you will, and I will help you do that," Merle nods as he looks at her. "I should probably get to bed."
"Yeah," Merle says. Sasha smiles as she leans over and kisses him. "Goodnight, Merle," She says before she leaves the cell.
Daemon's P.O.V
Daemon sat in his tent and looked at Luke as he walked in. "They leave yet?"
"No," Luke answers. "Doesn't look like it worked."
"Oh, it worked. We just gotta give them some more time. Tensions will boil over, and they'll start to fight."
"Daemon," Luke says after a moment. "Maybe we bit off more than we could chew this time. We didn't know their exact number, but it was much more than we thought, and Lucas never got a look at their weapons. We don't know what they could have. Maybe we should cut our losses and find somewhere else."
"Luke, you're my brother, and I love you, but if you ever suggest that again, I'm going to cut your balls off to make sure it fits your pussy like ideas. You heard that redneck asshole, he'll let his anger take over at some point, and when he does, we'll take that prison and everything that comes with it, Make sure it is known that I want Daryl's girl. She was pretty, and she had a kid. I've always wanted a daughter."
Luke nods as he leaves the tent.
Thanks for reading. Next chapter, the group continues to plan for Daemon as Daemon's group starts to worry about their plan and their leaders' mental state. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.
