Despite his guilt, Lee has a feeling that revealing this sensitive information at this time would just stir up unnecessary drama and further complicate things with Danny. They had enough to worry about with the herd on the way, and tensions between the prisoners and Carver. "I'll do that." He replies to Shel, leaving with Clementine to the other strong female duo. They seem to be whispering to each other, with Molly laughing under her hand.
"Seriously? That's genius." Molly chuckles.
"Well, I wouldn't call it genius." Jane says, smiling for the first time that Lee's seen. Clem can't place her, but she reminds her a lot of Molly.
"You don't give yourself enough credit. That is genius." Molly replies enthusiastically.
"Well then, I'm a genius. Anyway, that's only if I can get alone with him tonight. Fat chance, unfortunately." Jane says, planting another seed when Lee and Clem's shadow begins looming over them.
"Hey, girls. How's planting coming along?" Lee asks.
"Who cares?" Molly grunts, looking up at Lee with a raised brow.
"They're fine. Look, Lee, let's ignore the fact that you're currently playing the role of Carver's protege for a second: we have to escape tonight. There is no other opportunity like this herd. If we play it smart, stroll right through them all, remain calm and move patiently, everyone here could make it out alive. The hard part would be getting away from Carver and his men, but even then a distraction of some sort would help in that scenario. Later, tonight, we have to discuss this. If we don't escape tonight, you won't be able to again without either getting several people killed, or without waiting a very, very long time." Jane says, giving Lee a stern look as she stands up and folds her arms. She notices Carver looking at her and gets back down to a crouching position to look busy.
"I'm with Jane on this one. The sooner we're outta here, the better." Molly adds.
"What do you think, Clementine?" Lee turns to her.
"We're escaping tonight? How?" Clem questions.
"Well, maybe." Lee replies. Jane looks up at her.
"The basic gist is we use the PA system to get the herd around Howe's, then when Carver and his men are distracted, we have someone open the gate from the outside. We leave through the room you all arrived in, where they keep the trucks, and then we smear walker guts over us and sneak through the herd to escape."
"Why couldn't we just use one of the trucks?" Clem wonders aloud.
"The walkers would get tangled up in the wheels and slow us down until we get pulled out or the engine dies. Too big of a risk." Jane answers.
"And this isn't one?" Lee asks with a humorless chuckle.
"Everything's risky now, but if you ask me it's a lot riskier for people like Alvin, Kenny and Walter to stay here than out there. Then again, Rebecca's pregnancy could be an issue outside the walls, not to mention how big our group is right now. Everything's got a hint of danger attached to it, but if we're voting for a plan, this is where my vote goes." She replies, focusing back on her work. Molly nods.
"I second that."
Lee sighs. "We'll have to talk about it later. Oh, by the way, Clem's got the walkie talkie, so she'll be able to chat with us."
"Good call. Be careful with that, kid." Molly smiles at her, giving a nod of approval.
"Yeah, last thing we need is Carver catching one of his star pupils with a stolen radio. He might just kill you if he catches you with it. He doesn't take treachery well." Jane warns, giving Clem a side eye.
"I know what I'm doing. I'll be careful." Clem fires back, folding her arms with that sassy look on her face.
A small, barely seeable grin crops up on her face. "Sure."
"Lee, Clementine, we ready to move on here?" Carver shouts, looking bored. Lee and Clem turn around.
"Yeah, everything seems good here." Lee replies, bringing Clem as they walk up to the leader.
"Great. Let's head down to the medical bay, I wanna check up on some of our injured members." He holds the door open, allowing them to leave first again. He gives Jane a look of contemplation. She gives a small, similar look back. He likes the cut of her gib, leaving with the duo.
The medical bay door opens, a brown skinned man wearing a beanie sitting on a lounge chair with his foot raised up in a cast. Carlos seems to be putting the finishing touches on the bandages with Sarah watching closely behind him, holding a lollipop at the ready. Nick is writing down inventory on a piece of yellow paper while Shawn counts pill bottles, alcohol tubs, bandage rolls, creams and fluids. Everyone's heads turn when the three leaders of the day step through the door. Sarah steps back, her breathing becoming erratic. Carver smiles.
"Go on, keep working. Act like I'm not here." He puts a foot on the wall behind him, folding his arms once again as Lee and Clem walk around the emergency room. It looks significantly cleaner than any other area in the store, but it seems like it used to be a room for furniture to be displayed.
"Just relax, honey." Carlos tells his daughter. She takes one more deep breath before trying to ignore Carver's overwhelming presence. "How does it feel now?" He asks his patient, applying light pressure from his hands onto the leg. He hisses.
"Like hell. Fucking bears man, and I thought walkers were bad."
"No kidding." Carlos mutters.
"What happened to him?" Clementine asks worriedly.
"What's it to you, kid?" The man questions cagedly, glaring at her. She glares back.
A woman stands by his side with her arms folded, dark skinned with short hair, and a scar over her eye. "Bear attacked him while he was hunting." She answers without missing a beat.
"Marcy, seriously?"
"Wanna see the scar, kid?" She offers, crouching down to his legs level.
"I'm not taking the bandage off, and neither should you. It won't get infected unless you do." Carlos warns.
"Yeah, yeah. Am I done here?" The man questions, blushing red hot.
"Is he gonna need crutches?" Marcy asks.
"Definitely. Nick, fetch me some in the closet there." Carlos calls.
"On it, doc." Nick turns around and does as told.
While he grabs the crutches, Sarah walks forward and holds her hand out. "Good job getting through the check-up! Here's a lollipop for your troubles!" She cheerily exclaims. He looks at it a few seconds before belly laughing, causing her enthusiastic smile to falter.
"Seriously? You're so worthless to the group that this is your only job?" He feels a cold hand smack his fuzzy cheek before he's met face to face with Carlos, leaning over him, his hand grasping his chin. "Ow!"
"Talk to my daughter like that again and I'll do much worse to that leg than a bear ever could. Understand me?" Carlos threatens.
"Dad, you can't hurt him, you're a doctor!" Sarah scolds. Marcy, Lee and Clem all smile. Carver seems less amused.
"I.. yes, I know, sweetie. I'm sorry." Carlos replies, letting go of the man. Nick hands the crutches over.
"Yeah, yeah, sure.." The man grabs hold of the crutches, his sister helping him to stand up on one leg and hobble around on the other.
"Come on then, let's get you in bed. Howdy, Bill." Marcy greets on her way out. He waves at Bill.
"Hope that leg gets better, Riggerson. Take good care of him, Marceline." Bill greets back, waving them off as they exit the door.
"That's my job." Marcy replies, leaving with her brother.
"Good people. Brother and sister." Carver says, mostly to Lee. "Not everyone here's a soldier. Just want you to understand that."
"How are things in here? Anything to report?" Lee asks the room.
"Our medicine supply is still high, thank god. Could use some more alcohol and we're always running low on fluids, but we're doing excellent on antibiotics, painkillers and bandages." Shawn answers.
"Good. Looks like we've got everything we need. Anything else to go over?" Lee follows up, looking around the room.
"No bite victims today. All the injuries have been mostly past ones that have needed check-ups or further observation. Nobody's sick either." Carlos replies.
"The last thing on your mind in an end of the world situation is hay fever." Lee jokes.
"Heh, yeah." Carlos chuckles out, sitting down with a sigh, looking over his daughter.
"That'll be all. Let's move on." Carver says, leaving the room. Lee and Clem head out with him, but..
"Hey, Lee, wait." Shawn beckons, walking up to them. Lee turns around along with Clem.
"What's up?" Lee asks.
"I.. I just wanted to say.."
He tilts his head impatiently. "Yeah?"
Shawn sighs. "..Look, I wouldn't be here without you. When you saved me back at my dad's farm, you didn't just rescue me, you also rescued everyone me and my family rescued with our base. Shel, Becca, Wyatt, Eddie, Danny, Justin, Bonnie, NONE of them would be here today if it weren't for you."
Lee awkwardly scratches the back of his neck. "Well, thanks, Shawn. It's no problem, really."
"I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I've got your back. If you need help appealing to Bill or need someone to get you out of a tight spot, don't be afraid to ask. There's almost nothing you could ask me that I wouldn't owe you." He obediently says.
Almost nothing, huh? Maybe clueing Shawn into the plan might be a sound idea. Then again, he's extremely loyal to this place. Maybe not? It was about time Lee chose a plan to act on.
Choices
A: Could you help us escape tonight?
B: Could you vouch for me with Carver? I want to co-lead this place
C: I need your help overthrowing Carver
D: Thanks, Shawn. I'll see if you can come in handy anywhere. (Remain undecided until later)
Relationships
Clementine: 15/15
Carley: 14/15
Christa: 12/15
Molly: 15/15 (She's happy you put her with Jane)
Chuck: 15/15
Kenny: 7/15
Ben: 13/15
Duck: 7/15
Walter: 5/15
Sarita: 6/15
Luke: 13/15
Pete: 14/15
Nick: 14/15 (He likes where you placed him)
Carlos: 10/15 (Carlos is appreciative that you put him with his daughter)
Sarah: 8/15 (She's happy you paired her up with her dad)
Alvin: 14/15
Rebecca: 14/15
Mike: 6/10 (He knows you're tough and smart. He just hopes you choose to take over or escape soon)
Jane: 6/10 (She recognizes that you're a smart guy, and more importantly that Molly trusts you. She hopes you choose escape as the plan)
Danny: 4/15 (He's paranoid you'll let his secret out and doesn't trust you)
Bonnie: 7/15 (She's close to trusting you to help with your plans)
Carver: 9/15 (He likes what he sees so far from your choices)
Tavia: 6/15 (She doesn't trust you or Clem enough yet to help with any plan)
Stan: 6/15 (He doesn't trust you enough yet to help with any plan)
Johnny: 6/15 (He doesn't trust you or Clem enough to help with any plan)
Shawn: 8/15 (He owes you in his mind, so he might help you with any plan)
Troy: 5/15 (He certainly doesn't like or trust you)
Justin: 6/15 (He doesn't trust you or Clem enough yet to help you with any plan)
Wyatt: 5/10 (He doesn't trust you or Clem enough to go along with any plan you have)
Eddie: 5/10 (He doesn't trust you or Clem enough to go along with any plan you have)
Shel: 7/10 (She doesn't trust you enough yet to help you with any plan)
Becca: 7/15 (She doesn't trust you enough yet to help you with any plan)
Sam: 9/15