Barcelona, Spain
The sound of motorcycles filled the air while the wind blew through Daryl's hair and he moved the motorcycle to dodge some debris on the road. Behind him, the motorcycle with Connor MacManus and his wife, Katherine, moved around the debris and Connor made the motorcycle to move closer to Daryl's motorcycle. Finally, the motorcycle with Daryl's twin sister, Caroline, and Connor's twin brother, Murphy, headed around the debris and Murphy held onto her.
"Shit!" Murphy grumbled.
"You ok back there?" Caroline asked.
"Yep," he said, placing his chin on her right shoulder. She felt a cool shiver move through her as the motorcycle moved faster and her motorcycle moved near her brother's motorcycle.
It had been a week since they arrived in Barcelona and they had been unable to find the scientist they were looking for.
Anton Du Monte was a French scientist they had encountered in Paris and they found out he had a hand in the virus which ended the world. He had gathered the research about his part in the virus, as well as the cure he was working on, and he was going to give the research to Connor and Murphy after they helped him defeat his identical twin brother, Andre.
Andre Du Monte was a ruthless man when he was alive, but became even more ruthless after he returned as one of the Macabre, the French version of a Walker. He used the bond he shared with Anton to control him, but Anton resisted. After Daryl killed Andre's Macabre form, Andre's mind entered Anton's mind. Anton was able to resist his brother's control long enough for Murphy and Connor to execute him and his servant, Maurice, gave them the research.
In Anton's confession letter, he explained who he was and what he had done, but he had failed to say who his fellow scientist in Barcelona was. Just that he was working on a cure as well. All they knew was the name of the laboratory where he worked and the laboratory was located somewhere in or around Barcelona.
The motorcycles came to a stop while Daryl, Connor and Caroline put down the kickstands and they got off of the motorcycles. Daryl and Caroline removed the crossbows from the back of the motorcycles as they held the crossbows in their hands and Murphy and Connor removed the guns from the holsters on their belts. Katherine removed the rifle from the back of the motorcycle and she walked to Connor.
Daryl took the lead while they headed toward the doorway to what was once a house and he and Connor stood on either side of the doorway. Daryl quickly looked in at the dimly lit room as he stood in the doorway and he scanned the room with his eyes. He took two steps in the room as Connor stood in the doorway and Daryl held up his right hand.
Connor waited for Daryl to signal for him to move and Daryl nodded his head. Connor went to stand to his left while Murphy, Katherine and Caroline entered the house and they pointed their weapons. Daryl motioned for them to spread out as they went to check the rooms and Caroline stood in the doorway to one of the rooms. Daryl felt the shock and sadness coming from her as he walked closer and he saw what was in the room.
On the floor were two small bodies, roughly around the ages of eight and six, and they looked like they had become Walkers at some point. A large bite was on the boy's right shoulder and the girl had one side of her neck bitten off. Two bullet holes were in the middle of their foreheads and they both were wearing pajamas.
"Shit," Daryl whispered when Connor ran to him then stopped short in the doorway. Connor crossed himself before walking in the room and they turned to face him. "What's wrong?"
"I need t'show you summat," Connor said.
"Where're Murphy and Katherine?" Caroline asked.
"Follow me."
Daryl and Caroline followed him out of the room as they went to the back room and Daryl saw Katherine and Murphy standing in the middle of the room. They were looking up at the ceiling with the rifle and the guns pointing at something and Murphy had an angry look on his face.
"Where did he go?" Murphy whispered as Connor, Caroline and Daryl entered the room. He glanced at his twin and Connor cautiously headed for him. Daryl and Caroline headed in the room while pointing the crossbows at the ceiling and Caroline frowned when she thought she saw something moving between the crossbeams on the ceiling.
"What was that?" Caroline whispered.
"Not sure. Looks like a kid," Katherine said.
"How the hell did he get up there?" Daryl asked as something scampered over the crossbeams and hissed at them.
"There," Connor whispered and a small boy, around three years in age, was crouched on the crossbeam. His eyes were covered with a white film and he had a large bite mark on his left shoulder. He was wearing pajamas and his short dark hair stuck up on his head.
"I wonder who did that to him," Katherine said.
"I think his mother did it," Connor said.
"We found her body and th'father's body in th'other room. Th'father did himself in after he killed her and th'other two. Guess he fergot about this one," Murphy said.
"Or couldn't catch him," Daryl whispered while the boy scampered across the crossbeams and Daryl saw the stacked boxes in the corner. "He must have climbed up those boxes then jumped up there."
"Du Monte said in his notes that these things are different than normal Walkers," Caroline said and Daryl nodded.
"How do we get him down?" Murphy asked.
"We don't."
Murphy, Katherine, Connor and Daryl watched while Caroline took aim with the crossbow and she followed the boy while he scampered over the crossbeams. She closed one eye while her right index finger brushed against the trigger and she felt a knot forming in her chest.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered and pulled the trigger. The crossbow bolt sailed through the air then slammed into the boy's forehead and he fell off the crossbeams to the floor with a soft thud. After crossing themselves, Connor and Murphy walked to the boy when Connor picked the boy off the floor then he headed out of the room.
Daryl felt sadness and regret coming from his sister as she placed the crossbow on her back and he placed his right hand on her left shoulder.
"This is one time I hate bein' good at huntin' fast movin' targets," she said and he lightly patted her shoulder.
The Blue Dolphin
Carol stood at the railing while she looked out at the water and the sunlight shimmered off the small waves.
It had been two weeks since she, Negan, Maggie, Mercer, Lance Hornsby, RJ, Hershel, Dog and Judith had set off to rescue Daryl and Caroline and she place her hands on the railing.
She had found information about Pamela Milton sending people to friends and associates across the globe when they requested help, but the idea of her sending Daryl and Caroline to Paris to die as someone's bodyguards made her blood boil.
The person Pamela used to transport people was Captain Hank Trask, who was a ruthless slaver and the captain of the Blue Dolphin. When Pamela failed to send Daryl and Caroline to her friend in Paris, Captain Trask was sent to Oceanside to capture them. He wouldn't have succeeded if the former Commonwealth warden, Duncan Keller, had not only told him what they looked like, but where they lived.
After Daryl and Caroline were taken, Trask's men were captured and his second mate, Mike Frazer, had turned on Keller and agreed to help Carol with her rescue mission.
"We're on course," Mike said as he walked to Carol and she turned to look at him. Mike Frazer was a tall man with a muscular, lean build. The sunlight shimmered on his bald head and he had a scar going from under his left eye, down his cheek and ended at his chin. His nose looked recently broken and he wore a black leather jacket, a black t-shirt, a black leather belt, jeans and black leather boots.
"We better be," Carol said with a cold tone.
"Look, I know we had to make a few short stops to refuel and pick up and deliver cargo, but I will not risk your lives or the lives of my crew by doing something stupid."
"Are you sure you don't know where Trask took my friends?"
"I might have an idea. When we're at port in France, he usually takes certain "cargo" to the Peaceful Angel Inn."
"That's a local drop off point?"
"Yeah," he said with a nod. "I've only been there once or twice. Place is a fortress."
"Why?"
"Keeps the Macabre out."
"What are they?"
"They're those undead things."
"You mean Walkers?"
"Is that what you call 'em?"
"Yeah," she said with a nod.
"Well, not sure what kind of Macabre you're used to dealing with, but those things….? They're deadly."
"Are they able to climb walls, use weapons, open doors and are really strong?"
"Yeah."
"Then they're like the ones we have back at home."
"Damn."
"So, when we get to France, our first stop will be the Peaceful Angel Inn?"
"Yep," he said with a nod and Carol looked out at the water.
Barcelona, Spain
The sun was setting while the motorcycles headed down the street and Daryl scanned the area for a place for them to spend the night. He finally saw lights from a four story, white brick building and he could just see the iron bars over the windows.
He steered the motorcycle toward the building while Connor and Caroline followed him and the motorcycles stopped near the side of the building. After the kickstands were placed down, they got off of the motorcycles and headed for the iron door. Connor walked to the door when he pushed the button on the panel near the door and they waited. The small slot in the door opened and Connor looked at hard, angry dark eyes.
"Hello," Connor said in Spanish.
"What do you want?" the man asked in Spanish.
"My friends and I are lost. Do you have any rooms fer th'night?"
"How many?"
"Three rooms."
"No. People."
"Six."
The small slot went back as he looked at Daryl and Daryl sighed. The sound of the iron door opening caught their attention as the light from inside spread out the doorway and Connor looked at the tall man with a muscular build, long black hair, hard dark eyes and his tan shirt strained against the man's broad shoulders and muscular arms. He had a rifle strapped to his back and tight jeans and hard leather work boots covered his legs and feet.
"In," the man grumbled. He watched them enter the room then closed the door and he pushed the buttons on the panel near the door. Daryl could just hear the sound of the metal bars moving across the front of the iron door and the man glared at him.
"Nice guy," Daryl grumbled to Caroline and she nodded.
The man led them to the reception desk at the back of the room and Daryl noticed the looks the people were giving them. They stopped at the reception desk as a tall, heavy-set woman with curly black hair and dark eyes looked at them and she scowled.
"Hector says you need rooms," the woman said in Spanish.
"Yes. We need three rooms fer th'night," Connor said in Spanish.
"Only got one room."
"How many beds?"
"One. The rest of you will have to sleep on the floor. Or you could just go."
Connor saw the warning in the woman's eyes as he glanced at Murphy and Murphy tilted his head to one side.
"You sure you only got one room?" Murphy asked in Spanish as he removed three, braided rope bottles of wine from the satchel he had strapped over his right shoulder. He placed the braided rope bottles on the desk as she looked at the braided rope bottles and he used a corkscrew Connor had handed him to remove the cork. Murphy slid the braided rope bottle toward her and the woman held the braided rope bottle in her hands then she sniffed the cork.
"Think she's gonna buy it?" Daryl whispered to Caroline and she shrugged her shoulders.
"Follow me," the woman said in Spanish after a few seconds and she took a swig of the wine in the braided rope bottle. She removed a key from the peg on the wall as they walked to the stairs and they went upstairs. She led up to the top floor as they walked down the hallway and she stopped at the door. She placed the key in the locked as she unlocked the door and stood to one side. "Dinner is in a few minutes. The bell will ring when it's ready."
"Thank you," Connor said in Spanish as he nodded and they watched her walking down the hallway while drinking the wine. After they entered the room, Caroline moved her hand along the wall when she found the light switch and she flicked the switch up. The lights came on as Connor closed the door and Daryl frowned.
Iron bars were over the three windows framed by the faded green curtains and three, chipped wood tables sat under the windows. On the first table was a Bible, a wooden cross was on the second table and a ceramic bowl and pitcher sat on the third table.
A large, dark wood wardrobe was to the left of the room and framed brightly colored paintings were on the walls. A faded green carpet spread across the floor and a small, chipped wood table was near the door. On the table was a chamber pot, but there were no beds in the room.
"You gotta be kiddin'," Daryl grumbled.
"Let's unpack," Katherine said when the carpet started moving and she slid the rifle in her hands. Daryl and Caroline slid the crossbows in their hands and Murphy and Connor removed the guns from the holsters on their hips.
Daryl moved cautiously to the carpet while little bumps moved under the carpet and he could just hear a small hissing sound. He stopped when one of the lumps moved to the end of the carpet and he fired the crossbow. A small screeched filled the air as Connor opened the door and the small lumps grouped up under the carpet.
"Run?" Murphy asked.
"Run!" Connor shouted and they ran out of the room. They headed for the stairs while a swarm of cockroaches darted out of the room and Connor led the way down the stairs. The cockroaches climbed up to the banisters and down the stairs as Connor held tightly onto Katherine's right hand and they made it to the first floor. The people laughed and pointed at them and the cockroaches went back up the stairs and banisters after the large man who let them in blew into a whistle only the cockroaches could hear. The woman at the reception desk wiggled the braided rope bottle in the air as she laughed then took a swig of wine.
"Hey! That wasn't funny!" Caroline shouted in Spanish and the woman laughed louder.
"What are you gonna do about it?!" the woman asked in Spanish then took a swig of the wine.
"It's more like what they're gonna do!" she said, pointing at Murphy and Connor.
"And who are they!?"
"Ever hear of Cardinal and Bishop!?"
"Are you saying…?" the large man who let them in asked in Spanish while looking at Connor and Murphy. With their long hair and full beards, Connor and Murphy looked fierce and they noticed the fear on the faces of the people sitting at the tables. Standing back-to-back, they pointed the guns at the large man and the woman at reception and the woman dropped the braided rope bottle to the floor.
"Holy Mother!" the woman said in Spanish as she crossed herself.
"Please! Don't kill us!" a man said in Spanish as he pulled his wife to his side.
"We don't kill innocent people," Connor said in Spanish.
"Unless you are guilty of summat," Murphy said in Spanish.
Daryl watched the woman at reception as she bent down and he fired the crossbow. The crossbow bolt hit the wall behind her as she screamed and he walked to the reception desk. He leaned over the top of the reception desk to see her sitting on the floor with a rifle next to her and he aimed the crossbow at her.
Connor shook his head then he saw the large man had a rifle pointed at them.
"Guess he really wants to die," Connor whispered to Murphy.
"Hold on," Katherine said while she walked to Connor and he glanced at her. "Calm down. It was a joke."
"Some joke," Connor grumbled and she patted his chest.
Daryl felt a small tug in his chest while looking at Connor and Katherine and he thought about how easy it was to calm down when Carol was around. Caroline felt the sadness coming from her brother as she walked to him and she lightly nudged him to get his attention.
"You good?" she whispered.
"Yeah," Daryl whispered and nodded his head. He saw the woman trying to get up as she stood on shaking legs and he pointed the crossbow at her.
"Here," the woman said in Spanish as she slammed a key on the desk and Caroline picked up the key. "Top floor. The room is at the end of the hallway."
"This better not be another trick," Caroline said in Spanish.
"No! No more tricks!"
"Where is the kitchen?"
"Why?"
"Because we're gonna go make somethin' to eat. Free of charge."
The woman looked from her to Daryl as she pointed to the door to the right and Caroline smiled.
"Thanks" Caroline said in Spanish as she and Daryl headed for the door and Connor, Murphy and Katherine followed them. Daryl, Murphy, Katherine and Caroline walked inside the kitchen after Connor opened the door and they went in the kitchen.
A short time later, Daryl kept his eyes on the crowd while they sat at the table and the people were whispering to each other.
Caroline noticed the look on Murphy and Connor's faces as she slid her left hand over Murphy's right hand and he wrapped their fingers together.
"Sorry," Caroline whispered.
"Why're you sorry?" Murphy asked.
"If I hadn't mentioned Cardinal or Bishop…."
"No, you did th'right thing," Connor said and she looked at him. "They were gonna kill us."
"They still might," Katherine said as she glanced at the crowd.
"Which is why we should leave," Daryl grumbled.
"Can't. It's dark out," Connor said as he looked out the window.
"Which means we're gonna have t'take turns keepin' watch," Murphy said.
"Yep."
Connor picked at his food while Murphy sipped on the wine and Caroline sat back in the chair. She knew they were feeling miserable and she tried to think of something to cheer them up.
"Caroline?" Daryl asked and she looked at him. He felt her confusion and concern as she shook her head and he went back to eating his dinner.
"This is one time I wish we were still in Boston," Murphy said, sliding his fork onto the plate.
"If we were, we never would have seen Caroline again," Connor reminded him and Murphy squeezed Caroline's fingers.
"True."
"But we also wouldn't have t'look like this," Connor said as he motioned with his left hand over his hair and beard.
Caroline remembered Murphy telling her about how they had grown out their hair and beard while they were in exile after what had happened in Boston then when they came to Paris. She thought about what was in the inner pocket of her leather jacket and she smiled.
"Why are you smilin' like that?" Murphy asked as he looked at her.
"Well…," she said as she turned to face him and they locked eyes. "Do you trust me?"
"Always."
"Did you bring yer shavin' kit?"
"Why?"
"I think it's time fer a trim," she said and she moved her fingers through his hair. Murphy thought for a few seconds when he figured out what she was saying and he smiled.
"Let's go," he said and they stood. Connor, Katherine and Daryl stood as they headed for the stairs and they went upstairs.
After they had gone to their room, Katherine spread out the towels she found in the trunk around the chairs while Caroline filled the ceramic bowls with water and Connor and Murphy sat on the chairs. Caroline removed the photograph of her, Connor and Murphy that she brought with her out of the inner pocket of her leather jacket and she handed the photograph to Katherine.
"May I see?" Murphy asked, nodding his head to the photograph. He knew it had been years since he saw his face and his eyes slightly widened after he looked at the photograph.
"Man, we look so young," Connor said after he looked at the photograph.
"Right….," Caroline said after she had wet their hair and she picked up the scissors. "Which one wants to go first?"
"Me!"
She moved her fingers through Connor's hair then she used the scissors to cut his hair. Katherine held up the photograph so Caroline knew what Connor's hair used to look like and Connor kept his head still. She finished trimming his hair after a few minutes as she used the comb to slightly spike his hair up and she smiled.
"Well?"
"Here," Daryl said, handing him the mirror he had found in one of the drawers. Connor looked at his reflection when he frowned and looked at Caroline.
"What about th'beard?"
"Hold on," Caroline said as she started trimming the beard. She then placed the shaving cream on Connor's face and handed the razor to Katherine. "You might have a steadier hand."
Nodding, Katherine sat on Connor's lap when she started shaving her husband's face and he kept still. She finished shaving his face while Caroline handed her a towel and Connor looked from her to Katherine.
"Hey there, Handsome," Katherine said and kissed his lips.
"My turn!" Murphy said with a grin and Caroline walked to him. Katherine got off of Connor's lap as she held up the photograph and Caroline picked up the scissors. After wetting Murphy's hair again, she moved her fingers through his hair when she started cutting his hair and she looked at the photograph a few times. He kept his head still when she walked back and she smiled. "Well?"
Daryl handed him the mirror as Murphy looked at his reflection then Murphy looked at Caroline. She used the scissors to trim the beard then she placed the shaving cream on Murphy's face and Katherine handed her the razor. Caroline saw the trust of his eyes as she sat on his lap and she looked at the razor then at him.
"Ready?" she asked and Murphy nodded. She carefully shaved his face while Murphy kept his head still then she took the towel Daryl handed her. She looked at Murphy after wiping his face and she kissed his lips. "Hey there, Handsome."
Connor and Murphy were stunned as they looked at each other then smiled as Caroline and Katherine placed their arms around Connor and Murphy's shoulders. Daryl felt the pleased feeling which was coming from his sister and he crossed his arms over his chest. He had been thinking about the times Carol had cut his hair and he blinked the tears out of his eyes.
"Daryl?" Caroline asked as she got off of Murphy's lap and walked to her brother. "You good?"
"Uh…," Daryl said then he quietly told her what he was thinking about. Nodding, Caroline hugged her twin and he placed his head against hers.