Awww yes! New episode of Walking Dead is on right now!
"I'm goin back."
Everyone had seemingly calmed down after Rick announced he was going bak for Merle.
Riley watched as everyone dispersed, returning to whatever chores they still had.
Rick had gone to his tent, Shane following close behind him, Lori disappeared into the RV, and Daryl had gone to blow off some steam by cleaning his crossbow and knives.
Riley walked over to Daryl, "Need any help?"
He glanced up at her before handing her a rag a several arrows.
"I don't, okay Rick?" Shane's voice became louder as he and Rick walked into camp, "could ya just.. could ya throw me a bone, here? Man." The two of them walked towards the fire pit, "could ya just tell me why. Why would ya risk your life for a douchbag like Merle Dixon?"
"Hey." Daryl interrupted, "choose your words more carefully."
"Oh no, I did. Douchbag's what I meant."
Riley rolled her eyes.
Leave it to Shane to be an insensitive asshole.
"Merle Dixon. Guy wouldn't give ya a glass of water if ya were dying of thirst."
"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me. I can't let a man die of thirst. Me. Thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap... that's no way for anythin to die, let alone a human being."
"So you and Daryl?" Lori spoke up, "that's your big plan?"
Rick turned to Glenn.
"Uhh. Come on."
"You know the way. You've been there before. In and out, no problem. Ya said so yourself."
Glenn took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, a frown on his face.
"It's not fair of me to ask, I know that, but I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too," Rick pointed to Lori who gave him a hard look.
"That's great. Now ya gonna risk three men, huh?"
"Four."
Everyone looked to T-dog.
Daryl scoffed in response, "my day just gets better an' better, don't it."
"You seein anybody else here steppin up ta save your brother's cracker ass?"
"Why you?"
"You wouldn't begin ta understand. You don't speak my language."
"That's four." Dale said behind Rick.
"Five." Rick said, turning to Riley.
"Why me?" She crossed her arms and bit at her chapped lips.
"Because you're trained. We'll need all the help we can get."
"Sure, whatever." She agreed easily.
Going back to wiping down her knife, she caught Daryl staring at her in the corner of her eye.
"What?"
He shook his head, "nothin."
"It's not just five," Shane bit back, "you're puttin every single one of us at risk. Just know that Rick. C'mon, you saw that walker. It was here, it was in camp. They're movin outta the cities. We need every able body we got, we need 'em here, we ned 'em ta protect it."
"Seems to me what you really need most, is more guns."
"Right." Glenn added, catching on to what Rick was hinting at, "the guns."
"Wait. What guns?"
"Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns... I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. They're just sittin there on the street, waitin to be picked up."
"Ammo?"
"Seven hundred rounds, assorted."
Shane took a step back, taking how much they needed those guns into account.
"You went through hell to find us." Lori spoke up, "you just got here, an' now you're gonna turn around and leave?"
Riley wanted to mention how it was Lori who suggested it was Rick who take Daryl to find Merle, but she held her tongue.
"Dad. I don't want you to go." Carl said with a shaky breath.
"Shane is right! Merle Dixon? He's not worth one of your lives, even with guns thrown in!" She stood as her husband walked closer, "tell me... make me understand."
"I owe a debt. To a man I met, and his little boy."
At this point Riley had had enough, she stood, and went behind of the RV to get some peace.
She could still everything being said, so she didn't miss anything important.
The coolness of the shade felt good to her warm skin. She rested her shoulders against the RV, getting goosebumps from the surprisingly cool metal.
"Hey."
Riley turned and saw Shane walking over.
"Ugh. What do you want?"
"Now look, I know we got off on the wrong foot." "Oh, you mean how you wanted to be fuck buddies?"
Shane continued, "could ya please try an' convince Rick that Merle ain't worth it?"
"You know what, Shane, I am tired of everyone here saying Merle is better off on that roof. He may not be the best of company, but no man deserves to die like that." She made to leave, but his hand gripped her bicep hard enough to bruise.
"Let me go."
"Listen, I'm onl-"
He was cut off by Riley's fist connecting with his nose.
"I told you the next time you touched me, you'd loose a hand. You're lucky I went easy on you."
"You broke my goddamned nose."
Riley grimaced and knelt down to be level with him, "I've seen what men like you are capable of. I know what kind of man you are."
"The hell ya talking bout?" he was sending her murderous looks as he tried to staunch the flow of blood from his nose.
"You act like the hero, leader of the group... but I've seen that look your eye, I've seen it in soldiers that just want to kill. Is that what you want, Shane? Is that why you became a cop? So you'd get a gun and shoot the bad guys dead?"
"Ya best shut the fuck up if you know what's good for ya, bitch."
He stood and wiped his bloody hands onto his pants.
"You're just a psycho who wants to play soldier."
He stood after he managed to stop the blood.
"Shane?"
Rick appeared before things got worse.
"Everythin' alright here?"
Shane wiped away the small stream of plasma, "Fine. Just havin a little chat."
"Mind if I talk ta Shane?"
"Be my guest."
She watched as the two former cops went back to the camp.
How Rick managed to put up with Shane's macho-man attitude was beyond her.
Riley closed her eyes and let the breeze cool her sweat soaked body.
"The hell was that 'bout?"
Riley opened her eyes at the unmistakable sound of Daryl's southern voice.
"Nothing for you to worry about, redneck."
"Didn't look like nothin."
"What's it matter to you anyway?"
He shrugged as he leaned against the RV next to her.
"I'm sorry. About your brother, I mean."
He drew his lips into a thin line, "ain't your fault."
They stood in silence for a minute, before Daryl spoke up.
"You're real dumb for comin' with us."
She smirked and looked at the man.
"Why do you say that?"
"I saw what happened when we was out huntin. That wasn't cuz ya were thirsty."
She looked away from his blue eyes, and licked her teeth, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Daryl moved closer, and gave her a hard stare, "I may be from the backwaters, but I ain't dumb. I ain't always gonna be there ta save ya ass."
"As I recall, redneck, I did just fine on my own."
The corners of his mouth picked up the tiniest bit, "C'mon, girlie. Ya can help load the van."
"Little bit more, okay, stop."
Glenn cut the engine to the white box van as Riley opened the back.
Rick and T-dog were talking to Dale and Jim, asking for wire cutters or something.
"You okay?" Riley asked Glenn, who looked like he would puke any moment.
"Yeah... I'm fine, just a little nervous."
"Come, sit." she patted the floor of the van.
Hoisting herself up, she let her legs gently swing as Glenn pulled himself up.
"Don't be scared. We'll get in, and get out. Piece of cake." Riley snapped her fingers, showing how quick they'd be.
"I'm not worried about getting there, I'm worried about getting Merle."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it... Rick cuffed him to the roof, T-Dog dropped the key, you beat him up, and I'm asian. He won't exactly be happy to see any of us..."
"Don't worry about it. You'll give yourself an ulcer."
As the two of them watched Rick and T-dog bargain for the cutters, Daryl was getting restless.
He stepped on the horn, making the sound echo around the quarry.
"C'mon, let's go!"
Riley gave Glenn a pat on the back, before helping T-Dog into the van.
Glenn went to the drivers side and Rick went to the passengers seat, leaving Daryl, T-Dog and Riley to sit in the back.
Daryl slammed the back closed and Glenn started the engine, making the van buzz with life.
The drive to the city was silent. The only noise was gravel kicking at the undercarriage of the van.
Glenn had told the three in the back when they were entering the city limits.
they had all agreed it was best to leave the van outside the city and walk the rest of the way.
"He better be okay. That's my only word on the matter." Daryl held his crossbow close and all but glared at T-Dog.
"I told you... the geeks can't get at him. Only thing that's gonna get through that door is us."
Glenn cut the engine, "we walk from here."
Opening the back, Daryl was the first to jump out, followed by T-Dog then Riley.
Walking down along the train tracks, the five of them drew their weapons of choice, and made their way to the city on foot.
Reaching a fence, T-Dog used the cutters to make a hole wide enough to slip through.
"Merle first? Or guns?"
"Merle! We ain't even havin this conversation."
"We are!" Rick addressed Glenn, "you know the geography, it's your call."
"Merle's closets. Guns would be doubling back. Merle first."
They jogged as quietly as they could, hoping to go unnoticed by walkers for as long as possible.
"In here, quietly."
They entered the building, it was dark inside which made the small group on alert for any sign of danger.
Gurgling from the back could be heard, making everyone raise their weapons.
Rick pointed out where the single walker roamed in the back.
Lifting his crossbow, Daryl stayed low as he neared his target.
"Damn.." He raised his crossbow, "you are one ugly skank."
Releasing the bolt, it flew directly into the eye of the walker. She went down with a wet thud.
Pulling his arrow from her skull, the sound of tissues pulling, and muscle tearing made a sickening noise.
"The stairs are this way." Glenn led the way.
Rushing up the stairwell as fast as they could, Riley was secretly relieved to find the chain still intact.
Cutting the restraints, T-Dog pulled the padlock away while Daryl kicked open the door.
"Merle!"
They ran out onto the roof, not seeing the older Dixon anywhere.
"Merle!"
Instead of finding Merle, they found the handcuffs, and a bloody hand.
"NO!"