Chapter 18: 18 Miles Out

It's been a week since Randall was rescued, and he's finally back on his feet. Rick decided he, Shane and Michael would take him eighteen miles out, drop him off, and go back to the farm.

Rick is driving the Hyundai while Shane is sitting in the front seat next to him and Michael is sitting in the back. Michael is now wearing a USA flag bandana because Lori cut his hair and doesn't want anybody to see what it looks like until the right moment.

And unfortunately Ed is with them. After the incident, Rick and them decided to take him with them incase he tries something again.

They drive in silence for a while, Shane staring out the window. "We gotta start using our knives more," Rick says after a while. "If there's one walker, we use our knives. We keep things quiet. We save ammunition." Shane nods his agreement, and Rick continues, "We need dry goods ahead of the winter. Warm clothes. Fuel. Maybe we get a break. You gotta think the cold effects 'em. If it doesn't kill 'em, it's gotta slow 'em down. The second week of January last year, we got all that snow and ice. My cousin got stuck on 85 for twenty-four hours. Sitting in his car with a birthday cake for his girlfriend at Georgia Tech. He just sat and ate birthday cake and listened to the Lord of the Rings book on tape. Twice. We get lucky, we get the same winter as last year. By December, it's a different world. Safer. Maybe we could find some snowmobiles to make runs."

"That sounds good," Shane decides.

"That's more than eighteen," Shane says, breaking the silence that they fell into. Michael lean around the back of Rick's seat and see that the mile counter is almost at nineteen.

"Yeah, I know," Rick says after a moment. "I'm looking for a place."

"A place for what?"

"Give him a fair shake. A shot." Rick turns his attention back to the road, Michael leans back in the seat, and Shane goes back to staring out the window. After a few minutes of silence, Rick says, "There."

As they pull into the parking lot, Michael reads the sign that says MERT COUNTY: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. They climb out once Rick parks the Hyundai, and Michael looks ahead at the large, single story building. It's brick, like an elementary school, with a few yellow school buses here and there. Shane and Michael follow Rick up to the fence that separates them from the building with Ed of course."This'll do," Rick said. "We'll leave the boy here and scavenge some supplies."

Michael hears growling from behind him and turns, as two walkers come around a bus. Rick whistles, getting Shane's attention. "Over there."

Shane pulls out his gun, cocking it, but Rick stops him. "Wait." Rick pulls out his knife. "Like I said." He cuts his finger, smearing the blood on the fence as the walker almost trips over its own feet trying to get to Rick. It snarls, and Rick puts his knife through the walker's head, removing the weapon as it drops to the ground. "Guns are quick, easy, but there are other ways to do this. One more. Your turn." He said to Shane as he pulls out his knife.

Rick cuts the chain on the fence with bolt cutters, and Michael pushes it open after he removes the chain. Michael follows Shane and him through, glancing at the empty cans on the ground. Shane carries his shotgun, while Rick has his Colt Python in front of him, and Michael has his SPAS-12 in front of him, his dagger and handgun at his side.

Shane breaks off to go look at a bus for any supplies, and Michael follows Rick down a hill. There, there's a pile of three burned walker bodies.

Shane examines the walkers they killed at the fence, while Rick and Michael siphons fuel from a garbage truck.

"Hey, Rick, Mikey." Shane calls, pulling the weapons belts off of the walkers, seeing as they were security guards. Rick and Michael walks over, and Shane looks at the two of them. "I don't see any bites."

"Gotta be scratches then," Rick says.

"He's right," Michael said. he uses the toe of his combat boot to gesture to the skinnier one's hand. "This one's hand," He uses his boot to gesture to the other's cheek, "this one's cheek. They had walkers here. That's what those burned bodies down the hill were."

"Guess it's gotta be scratches, then, huh?" Shane says after a moment. He leaves to bring the Hyundai, and Randall, into the Department of Public Works, while Rick holds the fence for him. He closes it as Shane stops, climbing out. Michael opens the back door, revealing Randall. He whimpers in surprise as Rick pulls his legs out, then both Rick and Shane take his arms, which are tied behind his back, like his feet are tied together. He has a bag over his head, duct tape over his mouth, and earphones blaring music in his ears. Randall's protests, and probably his pleas for them to slow down, are muffled by the tape. They make him get to his knees, then Michael removes the bag. Shane tears the duct tape off of Randall's mouth, while Rick takes the duct tape that kept the earbuds in place off, then pulls them out as well. They step back, while Randall remains on his knees. "The hell is this?" Randall asks as the music stops, and they with Ed walk away from Randall, who continues speaking. "Oh, come on. Don't be stupid."

"I owe you guys," Randall tries, "I can help protect what you've got. Why would you save my life just to kill me by leaving me here? One guy—one guys can't make it alone. That's why I was with those dudes—I was alone." Rick pauses, then drops his knife. Randall yells, "Don't be stupid! I'm not like them!" Judging from the sound, he falls on his back, lowering his voice. "I'm just some guy. I used to watch football and screw around on the internet. I lived with my mom! I lost her like you lost people. I went to school with Maggie for God's sake!" They freeze, turning back to face him. "I went to church. I–I rode the bench on varsity baseball."

They started to walk back to him. "You went to school with Maggie?" Rick questions.

"You go to school with Maggie?" Shane demands, as if he's interrogating a criminal. He barks, "Answer the question."

"Did you go to school with Maggie?" Michael shouted.

Randall shakes his head slightly. "She didn't know me. Didn't even know I existed. I mean I knew her. I knew who her dad was." They turn around and start to walk the other way. "There is no way I would ever do anything to hurt her or her family."

"Jesus," Shane sighs.

"Or you," Randall continues. "Or your people. I'm not like the guys I was with!"

Rick, Shane, and Michael stand in a small circle, Shane and Michael with their backs to Randall and Rick facing him. "He knows where the farm is, Rick," Shane whispers. "Where we are. He knows. Say he finds his way back to his people..."

"Or he is trying to trick us." Michael said, not knowing what to do now.

"Fuck this." Ed said as he grabs Shane's gun, turning as he cocks the Glock 17 handgun. "Ed, no!" Rick yells, pushing him to the ground.

The gun goes off, and Michael dives to the ground to avoid behind hit. The bullet narrowly misses Randall, and he gets to his feet.

Rick stands over Ed, who hits the ground with a grunt. "Not now, Ed." He says. "Just not now."

Rick puts his foot down on top of Shane's gun.

"Well, when, Rick? When?" Ed asks.

Rick takes his foot off of Shane's gun and Shane picks it up. "When me, Shane and Mikey had a chance to think about it."

"Don't let him kill me. Please don't," Randall begs.

"Shut up!" Rick said. He turns away from Ed. "We're going back. It's a man's life." He turns back to face Ed. "We need a night to think it through."

Ed points to Randall from his spot on the ground. "You're gonna bring this piece of garbage–this piece of garbage who—he shot at you and Michael, Rick. He ran with men who tried to kill you both. You gonna bring him back to where your wife sleeps? Where your son sleeps?"

"He'll be locked up in the barn," Rick says, then adds smartly, "Unless you bust it open."

"Oh, don't start that shit," Ed groans.

Rick turns away from him again. "We're taking the night."

"Man, you take that, you think on it, Rick. Keep struggling with it. It ain't hard. The right choice is the one that keeps us alive." Ed looks up at Rick, pausing his rant. "It's always the same with you, hasn't it? It's whenever you're put to the test."

Rick turns back around, taking a step forward as Ed gets to his feet. "Stop acting like you know the way ahead, like you know the rules. There are no rules. We're lost."

"No, no no no, no," Ed says. "I know exactly where I am."

"You don't know shit anymore."

"I don't think you can do it anymore, Rick."

"It's our call."

"I don't think you can keep you're family safe."

Rick was about to punch Ed, but Shane and Michael held him back.

"Mikey, Shane. Let me go." Rick said.

"No Rick. He ain't worth it." Shane said as he and Michael still held him back.

"Don't listen to him, Rick. You can keep them safe." Michael said.

Ed chuckles, "That reminds me, when I first saw you're family Rick, I thought that Shane was the husband and father. Maybe Shane wishes he was and you stayed dead. Maybe Shane, you're using Amy and don't love her at all. You wish it was Rick's wife you're screwing." He said with a smile.

Now Michael had to keep both Rick and Shane back.

"Guys, don't! He's lying and he's wrong." Michael said. "He's trying to break us apart."

"And Andrea doesn't really love you, Michael. She is pretending to love you so you can be happy and shut you up. She would fuck the next guy she meet. Maybe fuck Shane." Ed said with smirk.

Michael now knew Ed had crossed the line big time. He wasn't gonna take it anymore. Looking at Ed for a minute before looking to Rick and Shane.

"Ok guys. I'm gonna hurt him first." Michael said as turns to hit Ed, but Ed head butted him in the nose. Michael stumbles back, holding his nose.

Shane goes after Ed, but Ed kicked him in the groin. Causing him to drop his gun.

Rick shoves Ed against the car, but Ed headbutts him. Rick falls to the ground from the force of the blow, and starts to get back up when Ed comes over, pulling his gun out. Rick shoves Ed against the car again, landing two well placed punches before Ed throws Rick to the ground, but then Rick shoves Ed against a truck. He punches Ed in the gut a few times before Ed kicks him off. Rick lands on his back, and Ed kneels over him. Rick pushes him off before he can land a punch, then gets to his feet. Ed shoves Rick against a truck, and Rick throws a punch. Ed throws a punch before throwing Rick to the ground. He rolls until he's at a motorcycle, and Ed storms over. He brings the bike down on top of Rick, who grunts in pain. Ed storms over to where Michael is and takes his Beretta handgun.

Ed is getting ready to shoot Randall. Rick tackles Ed to the ground, and they roll. Rick struggles to get the gun, but Ed ain't giving up. "Get off me." Ed growls.

The gun is kicked out of Ed's hands as he sees Shane standing in front of him.

Shane tells Rick to let go as he picks Ed up and punches in the face three times.

Michael, nose bleeding moves Shane out of the way, grabs Ed and knee him in the stomach. Then his face. Causing Ed to fall backwards to the ground.

Michael and Shane help Rick to his feet. Ed slowly gets to his feet, putting his hand against a trailer for support.

"Don't ever speak about our girls like that again, Ed. Or next time, you're done." Rick said.

Michael and Shane was first to react when Ed throws a wrench at them. They grab Rick's arms, pulling him onto the garbage bags with them. The wrench goes through a window, and they cover theirselves from the glass. All 4 of them are still, panting, and Ed looks at himself in the reflection of the glass.

Rick then looks up as a Walker starts growling, Then it falls out of the window. Rick, Shane and Michael got to their feet, Rick taking the Walker, takes out his knife, grab the walker and drives the knife into its neck and then the brain. Rick throws it into the garbage bags, and they hear the growling stop for a single second. As soon as the growling from the walker stop, more starts. Ed then ran but Michael went after him. Rick rolls onto the bags, holding the walker body over him to conceal him from the parade of the undead that come out of the window. Shane turns and runs, and they stumble after him.

Michael, tackles Ed to the ground, then punts his leg to the side of Ed's head, knocking him out cold. He was about to pick him up but stops when he hears three gunshots, then a moment's pause before three more. "Rick?" He yelled, slightly worried.

"I'm okay!" he yells in reply. Michael then picks up Ed's unconscious body and carry him over his shoulders. He then goes to find Rick.

Michael saw Randall was trying to escape when Rick stands up, pointing his gun at Randall. "Holy shit." Randall said as he try to run away, but Rick grabs him, pushes him to the ground.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Rick asked him.

"What did you expect me to do? Please just let me go, man," Randall says. "That's what you came here for. I'm not gonna tell anyone anything."

"Shut up," Rick snaps. He grabs Shane's gun and Michael's. He then see Michael, with Ed unconscious on his shoulders walk over to him.

Michael puts Ed down and gets his gun from Rick, then picks Ed up again.

They look over at the school bus, where walkers crowd around the entrance, and saw Shane is inside. "There's ten roamers there," Randall said before continuing. "You think you can take them on? Just the two of you?" Randall stands. "They don't see us. We can get out of here." Rick doesn't say anything. Neither did Michael. "Oh, come on," Randall complains. "Fine. But let me have a gun. I'll help you. I'll show you."

After a moment, Rick takes Randall's arm. "Let's go."

"What?" Randall asked.

"Let's go."

"Oh, thank you," Randall says, relieved. Rick pushes Randall ahead of him as they leave, Michael following them still carrying Ed.

Rick and Michael, with Randall stop at the garbage truck. Rick pushes Randall back, telling him to stay where he is as he takes the guns from the dead Walkers he and Shane killed. He then looks at Michael.

"We head back to the car and come back for Shane." Rick said as Michael nodded.

"Why? He's probably dead already." Randall said.

Michael looks at Randall before saying, "He's our brother."


Moments later

It's all Rick's idea. Randall drives the Hyundai through the fence, throwing it open, while Rick and Michael make sure their guns are loaded. Rick and Michael fire out of the passenger side windows, taking down the walkers. "Shane!" Rick yells. "Go for the back door."

When they get to the back of the bus, Michael slide back over to the driver's side, and Shane climbs in through the window. Randall throws the Hyundai in reverse, backs over a walker, then drives out of the Department of Public Works. They speed off, away from the building. "Whoo!" Randall yells. "Yeah! Hell yeah! You see that? You see what we did?"

"Just keep driving," Rick orders. Randall becomes quiet.

Shane and Michael watch as Rick shoves Randall into the back of the Hyundai again, now tied up with duct tape over his mouth. Along with Ed. Rick closes the back door, then steps back beside Shane.

"I thought you guys was gonna leave me behind." Shane said.

"Shane. We're brothers. We never leave each other behind." Michael said.

"Mikey's right, Shane. Ed tried to break us apart, but all he did was make our bond stronger." Rick said.

"You're right guys." Shane said before continuing, "Speaking of bond, I believe we need to form our symbol of our bond as brothers."

Both Rick and Michael smiled. Then Rick extend his right hand to Shane, which he grasps it. Shane does the same by extending his left hand to Michael, who grasps it. Last, Michael extended his right hand to Rick as he grasp it with his left. Then they said the motto they use.

Rick went first. "We ride..." Then Shane, "together. We..." Last Michael, "die together." Now all three said together, "Brothers for life." Then they bow their heads.

After that, they let go of each other's hands and embrace each other.

Then they got back in the Hyundai and drove back to the farm.


Moments later back at the farm

As Rick, Shane and Michael arrived at the farm, they see their girls are on the porch, waiting for them to return.

After Rick and company got out of the Hyundai, they greet their girls and explain what happened while they were at the elementary school they were at. As they were explaining what happened, Michael and Shane took Ed out of the back of the car, who is handcuffed and rope tied around his ankles.

After they told the ladies what Ed said about them, the ladies show Ed how they react to what he said.

Lori slaps Ed across his face, then Amy punched him in the groin and finally Andrea punched him in the face. Causing his nose to bleed.

After that, they kiss their men and told them they love them no matter what.

Later on they put Randall in the shed and Ed in the backseat of the police car. Then they took the night to think what to do next.

That's it for this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. This chapter shows how different it is from the Walking Dead tv series to fan fiction stories. With that said, Happy New Year to everyone and get ready for the last two chapters of season 2. Next chapter will feature parts from Judge, Jury, Executioner and Better Angels. So get ready. Read and please review. And May The Force Be With You.