"Mother Dick," cursed Abraham who was on afternoon guard duty. He heard the roar of the bike before it came into view and from the sound of it, the bike was hauling ass.

"Who the hell is that," said Sasha as stepped out of the guard shack and onto the small landing. She just finished pulling her grey t-shirt on. The afternoon fun in the guard tower with Abe was now over, and Sasha was ready to head home to get some sleep. "Is that Daryl?" she grabbed the binoculars hanging against the wall. Adjusting the magnification, she could clearly see that it was indeed Daryl approaching fast. She panned the binoculars in the direction where he emerged to see if her friend was right behind him.

"Where's Ila?" she waited a moment more but still no Ila on her bike. "Somethings wrong," she said as she hurried to the ladder to meet Daryl.

Daryl rounded the corner at a breakneck speed almost losing control as his back wheel slid on the gravel road. His heart was hammering in his chest. He said a silent prayer of thanks as the sight of the gate came into view.

"Open the gate!" Sasha yelled over the ladder landing to Colton who was peering through the metal opening of the reinforced front gate. "Now!" Sasha yelled again at the young man who also noticed Ila wasn't following. Colton heaved the gate open. Just in time as Daryl barreled his way through skidding to a halt. Dust clouds billowed in his wake as Colton waved his hand to clear the particles away. Sasha quickly descended the ladder, firing off questions as she made her way to an already pacing Daryl. He looked haggard as if he had been riding all night. His eyes were red and his hair more wild and unkempt than usual.

"Daryl, Where is Ila?"

"They just fucking came out of nowhere… fucking nowhere," he ranted.

"Daryl," she said gingerly as she approached the tightly wound figure of a pacing Daryl. Sasha nodded her head to Colton secretly signaling the young man to run and find Michonne. A cold dread ran up Sasha's spine at the thought of Ila meeting her demise in a herd and possible now being part of that herd.

"We tried to lose em. We went in every direction, but it didn't matter. Where the fuck did all of those damn things, come from. I've never seen a herd that fucking big," Daryl thundered. His pacing increasing. He swung fist hitting the side of the building, the metal vibrating under the force of the blow.

"There was nothing I could do. I couldn't get to her," his voice trembled as he hung his head.

"Where is Ila?" Sasha said more calmly. She was right next to his bike still slowly approaching him. She wanted to get a hold of him to stop his pacing so could get an answer that made sense from him.

"She's out there with those fucking things." He pointed back towards the road his eyes wide, his nose flaring. "I'm going back out there to get her." He unholstered his revolver quickly checking the number of bullets he had before slamming the chamber back in place.

Abraham finally made his way down to the pair, "Hey now hold on. You can't just go back out there into a fucking herd. We need to come up with a plan. Let's talk to Rick and Michonne and see what they want to do."

"Fuck that. I am going back out since you pussies don't want to."

Abe balled up his fist ready to knock some sense into Daryl when he heard several folks running toward them.

Rick, Michonne, Luna, Noah, and Carl approached all out of breath.

"Where is Ila?" asked Michonne. She saw the wild look in Daryl's eyes, and she knew something had happened to her sister. Her stomach tightened.

"He says they ran into a huge herd and Ila got caught in it," Sasha explained, her expression pained as she spoke to words.

Luna gasped. Michonne eyed her old friend in disbelief for a moment before dragging her eyes back to Daryl. She needed answers and right damn now.

"Where… is… Ila?" She punctuated each word as she stepped closer to Daryl. He was leaning his body against the wall with his hands pressed against his face. Michonne saw his body shake from the effort to maintain control.

"She's out there somewhere trying to get away from the herd," he moaned.

"Where out there?"

"About 5 miles out near that abandoned town where we found that preppers shit awhile back."

"Did… did Ila go down," Michnonne's voice broke with fear that had welled up in her throat.

He began to pace again.

"Daryl!" Luna shouted. She didn't have time for his mini-breakdown. They needed answers, and right now he was the only one who had them.

"No… no, she didn't she took off before they could get her. She waved me off and yelled for me to head back," Daryl rambled on, "She said… she said she would stop the herd from making it here but some still followed me but most trailed after her." He stood overcome and unable to continue as he thought about their early morning lovemaking interrupted by the sound of walkers. Way too many. By the time they made it to their bikes the wall of undead was almost on top of them. They went every possible way they could but the soulless monsters blocked every path. No matter where they turned they were faced with a veritable wall of the undead, moaning and shuffling toward them. They took the bikes off the road to get around the herd. It worked for a bit, but as they approached the path that would lead them home, the walkers emerged from the forest. Daryl gunned past, but Ila was caught by a large cluster on her right. She was forced to head back the way they had come. Daryl saw the image of Ila as the herd tried to surround her before she sped away on her bike. His stomach rolled at the memory.

"How large is this herd?" asked Rick.

"I've never seen anything like it. It's a lot man."

Noah stepped forward from his position in the back coming to stand in between Rick and Michonne. "We were tracking a monstrous size herd, but it was almost 30 to 40 miles away from any of the communities. At the time our scouts reported the herd was heading away from us."

Michonne nodded her head. She remembered the talks about a plan in case the herd appeared, but she missed the planning due to a run she was sent on with Carl. Luna. Ila and Noah were in attendance and helped with the planning, but that was all she knew about it.

"If it's the same herd it will destroy any community it encounters. Even here," Noah said heavily.

"Which way did Ila head?" asked Michonne.

"North, down Route 808."

"Are you sure it was Route 808?" Noah asked warily his face blanching a bit. Daryl nodded his head.

"Why what's wrong with Route 808," asked Luna.

"Nothing… nothing is wrong with it," he swallowed hard before turning away. She couldn't possibly be heading there that would be suicide he thought to himself.

"Look why in the hell are we just standing here wasting damn time. We need to get out there and go find her."

Shane joined the group, out of breath from running."I heard what happened. Is Ila ok?" he gasped as he placed a hand on Ricks' shoulder to steady himself and catch his breath.

"We don't know for sure yet, but Daryl said there's a large herd heading this way. So we need to get everyone ready."

"Yeah man. Whatever needs to be done."

Shane looked past Ricks head. Seeing the movement, Rick turned to see Michonne retreating form heading towards the house.

"Michonne," he called as he trotted to catch up to her. He grabbed her elbow turning her to face him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go find my sister."

"There is a herd coming. You can't go out there."

"Watch me," she glared at him jerking her arm from his grasp.

Rick stepped in front of her his hands held up to stop her. "Michonne listen. I know you wanna go out there, but we have to think this through."

"Get out of my way Rick," she growled.

"Baby...please listen."

Hesitating at the endearing word he calls her when they are home together... their home now, she paused to look into his handsome face to see the pleading in his eyes. The rational part of him trying to make the sensible part of her listen for just a moment. She stood up straight with her head held high. The irrational side reigned itself in a bit as she listened.

"Let's come up with a plan first. A plan where everyone comes back safe."

Her eyes narrowed. Delays were not going to help Ila. She could be hurt or worst. Michonne wasn't going to think about the worst, not yet, "My sister needs me now!"

"Luna!" she called behind her. "Let's go!" Michonne stormed around Rick taking off in a quick run towards the home they shared before he could try and stop her again. Luna gave Rick a sympathetic look as she and Colton followed right behind Michonne.

Rick cursed under his breath. He knew this was going to end badly but just how bad he didn't know.

About 10 minutes later Michonne, Luna, and Colton emerged in full gear. Rick watched as the small group approached covered head to toe in what can only be described as riot gear. His heart dropped into his stomach as he remembers this is what she was wearing when they broke into Alexandria to rescue Carl. Now she was wearing it to head out to face a herd head on to once again save a member of her family.

Michonne katana was fastened to her back with her sidearms strapped to each leg.

"I need the keys to the van," she said. Her voice was calm, but the hard set of her face told him she wasn't going to listen to anything anyone said.

"Michonne," Ricks voice was low and stiff. His brow furrowed as he felt the dull throbbing of a headache forming behind his eyes.

"Give me the keys," she said again her voice flat and cool. Michonne didn't want to fight the man she had come to love and respect. The man who she had shared things about herself with and he the same. The man who had made living at Alexandria feel like a home. A home that they could share together.

"Rick's right. We need to plan this or more people may die," Shane said simply. He stood next to Rick to provide him the support he would need with getting Michonne to not run head first into more trouble. Michonne squeezed her eyes shut to both men standing in front of her. They were wasting her time, and the small amount of time they may have to get to Ila.

"You shut your fucking mouth," yelled Daryl "You don't say a damn thing about this. You don't give a damn about her."

Shane pointed towards Daryl his face contorting as his anger churned in his chest "Fuck you. You don't know shit." Shane did care for Ila. A great deal as a matter of fact but he knew that his hoe-ish ways didn't appeal to her, so the duo remained close friends.

Daryl tried to charge towards Shane, but Abraham's massive frame blocked him.

"Let me fucking go. I'm going to pound his cocky ass into the ground," he roared. Daryl knew Ila and Shane were close, and it burned him up, but she had sworn nothing was going on and reminded him that trust went both ways. His special friendship with Carol was the same as hers with Shane. So he tried his best to let it go but hearing him talk about waiting instead of getting out there to look for her pissed him right off.

"Not the time or the place Daryl," Abe said through his teeth as he held him in place.

"Move Rick. Don't make me have to go through you because I will." Michonne looked Rick straight in the eyes, and he looked straight back into hers.

"Michonne don't."

"Move!" she yelled her hand reaching for her sidearm. "That is my sister out there, and I will not just leave her."

"I can't … I won't let you go out there and get yourself killed. Luna is with you also... remember that."

"Don't throw me into this. I want to go out also. Ila would do the same for us… without hesitation," Luna said sharply.

Rick saw the same determination in Luna's young eyes like Michonne, and he knew this had gone far beyond reasonable debate.

"Michonne don't make me…," he warned. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He didn't want to force anything on Michonne, but he didn't want her to risk her life or anyone else who went with her.

"Make you do what?" she said as she pulled her pistol and held it to her side. "Make you do what Rick," tears were prickling the side of her eyes.

"Michonne," Sasha's voice came from somewhere on Michonne's right side. She didn't dare break eye contact with Rick. She knew he would try to disarm her if she did. "You know it's suicide to run out there half-cocked. Let's talk this out. I'll even come with you."

Michonne didn't get the chance to answer. She saw Rick's eyes widen as her world suddenly went dark, her body crumbling to the ground.

"What the fuck Shane!" Sasha yelled as she ran to Michonne's unconscious form.

"You motherfucker," Luna was seething. She didn't see Shane advance behind her and her sister. She had been solely focused on Rick also. She pointed her pistol at Shane aiming for his side temple. Shane slowly placed his gun on the ground raising his hands in surrender.

"I had to. She wasn't listening. You can't go out there no matter what you think… not right now."

Luna's hand shook as she still pointed the gun at Shane. She knew he was right but it was her sister dammit, and they have never left anyone behind. They were always there for each other through the good and the bad. That couldn't change now. Not ever.

"Luna," Colton whispered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know he's right. Put the gun down."

Luna yielded, sighing heavily as she holstered her weapon. She looked at her sister who was still laid out unconscious. Sasha held her head in her lap gently caressing her forehead as she held her finger against her pulse point. She lowered herself to the ground taking Michonnes limp hand in her own.

"Her pulse is strong. She's just out cold."

Rick released the breath he was holding as he kneeled down next to her. He saw the even rise and fall of her chest. He couldn't stop what happened. By the time he saw Shane, he was already swinging the butt of his gun towards Michonnes head.

"Good. I want everyone to help lock this place down. We will go look for Ila once this herd passes." He faced Luna looking her square in the eye, "I promise."

She nodded her head still stroking her sisters hand.

Rick rose to his feet ready to make his way to the infirmary to find a chair to carefully wheel Michonne back, but he halted his steps as his walkie-talkie chirped to life.

"Rick we have a problem," Corbin called over the walkie-talkie. Corbin was stationed in a treetop sniper post that was about a mile from the main gate.

Rick pulled the device from his back pocket and depressed the side button "Not now Corbin...over."

"There is a large herd heading towards Alexandria. I mean fucking huge...over."

"Shit."

The static buzz of the walkie echoed again, but the sound of Corbin voice didn't drown out the unmistakable echo of multiple walkers "they will be there in no less than 10 to 15 minutes. Over"

Rick looked around and found Noah. "Noah I need you to run and tell Deanna and anyone you can find to lock themselves in their homes…Now!"

Noah turned to take off but stopped as the crescendoing sound of an air siren pierced the atmosphere. The wavering sound increased and decreased in what seemed like timed intervals each one. It wasn't deafening but the sound was noticeable. All at the gate looked around their heads turned towards the sky except one.

"Is that an air raid siren?"

"Sure as hell sounds like it," said Abraham.

Noah's blood ran cold as he listened to sound. Why did she do that? There's no chance now.

"Noah," Rick was shaking the young man whose brown skin took on a sickening hue

"Go tell everyone to get ready."

"There… there's no need to do that now. The sound will draw every walker up to 5 miles to the pit," he whispered.

"The pit? What is the pit?"

Noah swallowed again and pulled in a hard breath. "The pit is just what it sounds like. A large hole in the ground. It's a former mining pit. It's about half a mile deep and just as wide, but this pit is lined with explosives."

"Explosives... for what?"

"For large herds. We created an emergency system for the other communities when we learned about the massive herd. We repaired the air raid system in the next three towns. This was before we learned about Alexandria. Each community was to take shelter if they heard the siren because it was going to draw every walker out. We worked on the project together. Ila and I."

"I never heard of this," said Luna.

"It was agreed that in each community there would be only 3 people who would be responsible with activating the system."

"Ila is one of those three,"

"No…no she's not but like I said we worked on it together."

Sasha tilted her head as she studied Noah's nervous movements "Does that mean she is ok?"

Noah looked away.

"Noah answer me. Please."

"No, she's not. The pit was chosen because of its location, but we were still working on the logistics for an escape out for whoever activated the sirens, but that was scrapped when we saw that the herd was heading away."

Luna was on her feet "What does that mean?"

Tears flowed down his face as he choked back the lump in his throat "It means it's a one way trip for anyone who activates it and its suicide for anyone who approaches the area."

"Oh my God... Ila," Luna cried out.

"I'm sorry Luna, but there is no way she can get out of there."

Luna fell to her knees her head bowed in defeat. Sasha grasped her hand tears forming in her eyes.

"Dear God, Ila," she sobbed.

Daryl no longer struggled against Abraham his shoulders slumped in defeat. Abraham let him go, and he fell to the ground.

Rick grabbed the young man by his shoulders turning him to face him. He needed Noah to be sure about what he was saying. "Noah are you sure?"

Noah nodded his head as he wiped his eyes. His voice brittle "Yeah... but the sirens in each town only have enough power to run for 5 minutes each after that the herd may return or keep going towards the pit."

"I need to get Michonne to the infirmary. Noah, you're coming with me and you're going to tell me everything."