The Blue Dolphin
Mike sat at the head of the dining table as the crew, Carol, Negan, Maggie, Mercer, Hornsby, RJ, Hershel, and Judith ate dinner and Dog ate from the metal bowl on the floor.
"How long until we get to France?" Negan asked then he placed the fork with some steak in his mouth.
"We'll be docking some time tomorrow," Mike said, taking a sip of beer.
"Carol told us you might know where Trask took our friends," Maggie said.
"He might have taken them to the Peaceful Angel Inn."
"How long will it take to get there?" Mercer asked.
"Not long."
"Um…. I just thought of something," Negan said. "Once we get there… We're not going to be able to talk to anyone."
"That's not true," Lance said as he took a sip of beer. "See, before the world fell, I did a lot of traveling while working for Pamela Milton's father."
"So, you've been to France?"
"A couple of times."
"Which means you're fluent in French?" Carol asked.
"Yes."
The stunned look on their face made Hornsby smile while he sat back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I bet you're glad you brought me along now, aren't you?!" he asked with a smug look.
Barcelona, Spain
The motorcycles moved down the road while Daryl, Connor and Caroline steered around the abandoned cars, trucks, vans and buses and Caroline saw some people climbing over rubble while they searched for eatable food or supplies.
Daryl steered the motorcycle around a large truck when he thought he had saw something on the top of the large truck and he steered the motorcycle to the left. Caroline and Connor followed him when Daryl turned the motorcycle to face the large truck and three Walkers growled while going down onto their haunches. Daryl slid the crossbow in his hands as Connor pointed the guns with silencers and Caroline slid the crossbow in her hands.
"Wait fer it," Daryl said. He watched the Walkers as the Walkers snapped their jaws then they jumped into the air. Connor fired the guns while Daryl and Caroline fired the crossbows and the head of the Walker in the middle exploded. The crossbow bolts hit the foreheads of the other two Walkers and the bodies landed with a thud to the ground. They scanned the area for more Walkers and Caroline and Daryl got off the motorcycles to get the crossbow bolts.
"Let's go," Daryl said while getting on the motorcycle. Connor and Caroline got on their motorcycles as they steered the motorcycles down the road. They steered the motorcycles around the cars, vans and trucks and Caroline felt the frustration coming from her brother. He glanced at her as Caroline steered the motorcycle next to his motorcycle and he held out his left arm for her to knuckle bump with him.
France – unknown location
The Blue Dolphin docked while the gangplank was lowered and Mike, Dawson, Carol, Negan, Maggie, Mercer, Hornsby, RJ, Hershel, Dog and Judith headed down the gangplank.
"Are you sure this is the right location?" Mercer asked with a cold look.
"Yeah. I'm sure," Mike said.
They headed down the dock while Negan turned to look back at the ship and a cold feeling moved through him.
"Why do I have a feeling they are not going to be there if or when we get back?" he whispered to Maggie.
"I got the same feeling," she whispered and watched Hershel walking with Judith, RJ and Dog.
Mike led the way with Carol walking next to him and she noticed how the people were looking at them.
"They don't trust strangers," Mike said.
"Do you think they'll attack us?" Carol asked.
"Not sure about us…," he said as he looked back at Mercer in his orange body armor and boots. "But they might attack him. When the world fell, the military took over most of France and sent guys like him to keep people in line."
"I told him to change clothes."
Hornsby looked at the buildings as memories of his time in France before the world fell moved through his mind and he felt a sense of sadness going through him.
"Damn," Lance whispered and Maggie looked at him.
"What's wrong?" Maggie asked.
"Just remembering how cities like this looked before everything went to shit."
They walked in silence while Mike led them to a three-story stone building with dark wood trim, a dark stone tile roof and smoke rose from the dark stone chimney. Barbwire was wrapped around the metal spikes sticking out between the stone tiles on the roof and the top of the chimney. Iron bars crossed the stain glass windows and across the metal door.
"Is this Peaceful Angel Inn?" Mercer asked Mike.
"That's what it says on the sign," Negan said with a grin while he pointed up at the wooden sign. He didn't care that Mercer was glaring at him and Mike walked to the metal door. He saw the panel near the metal door when he pushed the button and Carol could just hear the buzzing sound coming from behind the door. He pushed the button again when the metal door slightly opened and a young woman with blue eyes and long black hair looking at them. She was wearing a white linen shirt, jeans and black leather boots and she had a gun in a holster on her belt.
"What do you want?" Nanette asked in French and Hornsby walked to Mike.
"Hello, Miss. May we come inside?" Lance asked in French and Nanette looked from him to the others. Her eyes widened when she saw Mercer's body armor and boots and she slammed the door shut. Hornsby turned to look at Mercer as Hornsby sighed and rolled his eyes. "Good going. I think you scared her off."
Mercer glared at him as the metal door opened and a tall man with dark brown hair and eyes appeared in the doorway and the man wore a blue linen shirt, a black leather vest, a black leather belt, black pants and black leather boots.
"What do you want?" Dante De'Carlos asked in French while pointing a rifle at them.
"We are looking for someone," Lance said in French.
"I cannot help you. Now go!"
"Look, you either talk to me or you can talk to him," Lance said in French as he turned to look at Mercer. Dante looked at Mercer when he noticed Mercer's body armor and boots and he lowered the rifle. "Good idea."
Dante moved back to allow them to enter as Mercer walked by him and gave him a hard look. Dante closed the door as Carol noticed Nanette nervously heading into the dining area and Carol frowned.
"This way," Dante said in French as he pointed to the dining area and they headed in the room.
The dining area had a stone floor and stone walls, a large, stone fireplace was to the left, and the stain glass windows had iron bars crossed over the glass. Landscape paintings in wooden frames, a variety of antlers and animal heads and iron lanterns were mounted on the walls and iron chandeliers were connected to the ceiling by iron chains. Weapon stands were near the doorway and a door leading to the kitchen was at the back of the room.
People sat on the wooden benches around the dark wood tables spread out in the room and smaller, dark wood tables and wooden stools were near the walls.
Dante led them to a large, circular table at the center of the room as they sat on the wooden stools and Lance sat to his right while Carol sat to his left.
"Who are you looking for?" Dante asked in French.
"They are members of our group. They were taken by slavers and it was reported that the slavers might have taken them here," Lance explained in French.
"Slavers!? I do not deal in slavery."
"That isn't what I was told. I heard you have done some work for Captain Hank Trask."
Negan noticed Dante's eyes slightly widening at the mention of Trask's name and he light nudged Carol's right side.
"He knows Trask," Negan whispered to her.
Nanette had been pouring water in the glasses on the table when she noticed Judith was looking at a photograph of her, Daryl, RJ and Caroline and Judith looked at her. Judith had brought the photograph with her in case they had to show someone what Daryl and Caroline looked like and Nanette sweetly smiled at her.
"Who is that?" Nanette asked in French and pointed at the photograph.
"She wants to know who that is," Lance explained.
"That's me, my brother, Uncle Daryl and Aunt Caroline," Judith said and Hornsby translated.
"They are your family?" Nanette asked.
"She wanted to know if they're your family," Lance said.
"Yeah," Judith said with a nod and Carol frowned as she looked at the photograph then at Nanette.
"You recognize them?" Carol asked.
"Do you recognize them?" Lance translated, but Nanette saw the anger in Dante's eyes and Dante growled.
"Nanette! Kitchen!" Dante demanded in French and Nanette quickly ran to the door leading to the kitchen.
"She recognized them," Negan whispered to Carol and she nodded.
"Can I borrow that?" Lance asked Judith and Judith handed him the photograph. He looked at Dante when Hornsby tapped the photograph on his fingertips and made a small humming sound.
"Want to know something? I don't like it when people bullshit me," he said in French to Dante.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Dante said in French.
"That woman. She recognized the two people in this photo. The same two people we're looking for. Want to tell us how that's possible?"
Dante remained silent while Judith, RJ, Hershel and Dog got up and they headed for the kitchen door. Judith opened the kitchen door as they walked in the kitchen and the kitchen staff looked at them. Judith scanned the room when she saw Nanette sitting on a wooden stool in the corner and Judith nodded her head toward her. They walked to Nanette when Nanette looked at them and she sighed.
"They are safe," Nanette said softly in English.
"You mean Uncle Daryl and Aunt Caroline?" Judith asked and she nodded.
"I helped them escape."
"Do you know where they went?"
"No."
"And you're sure they were ok the last time you saw them?"
"Yes."
"Thank you," Judith said. Nanette frowned when she sighed and locked eyes with Judith.
"Whatever you do, do not let anyone in your group eat or drink anything," Nanette whispered.
"Why?" RJ whispered.
"You'll see."
Nodding, Judith led RJ, Hershel and Dog out of the room when they went back to the table and sat down on the wooden stools. Carol looked at them while Judith watched the servants place the plates and cups on the table and she barely shook her head at Carol.
"Don't remember ordering anything," Lance said in French while he looked at the food then he glanced at Dante.
"I thought we'd eat while we talk," Dante said in French, pointing to the food. He picked up the fork as he started eating and Carol picked up the fork. She pretended to eat as the others did the same and Dog settled on the floor near Carol's chair. "Isn't your dog hungry?"
"He ate earlier."
Dante nodded as he ate the food and drank the wine and the others placed their food in the napkins in their laps. Suddenly, Dante felt sleepy. He glared at Nanette as he tried to stand, but he fell unconscious to the floor.
"Hurry!" Nanette said in French as she signaled for them to stand and follow her. Carol, Mike, Dawson, Negan, Maggie, Mercer, Hornsby, RJ, Hershel and Judith stood while they followed Nanette to the kitchen door and Dog was close behind them. She opened the kitchen door as they ran inside and Carol, Mike, Dawson, Negan, Maggie, Mercer, Hornsby, RJ, Hershel, Dog and Judith stopped to see the kitchen staff was gone.
"Where did the cooking staff go?" Lance asked in French.
"They left," Nanette explained in French. "You see… After we helped the people who you are looking for escape. Dante swore to kill us if we did it again."
"Then why did you help us?"
"He was going to kill you."
"Even the children and the dog?"
"Yes."
"Which means our food and drink were poisoned."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you leave with the others?"
"I cannot. Dante…. He is my husband."
"I don't think my friends and I will sleep well if we leave you behind."
"What is she telling you?" Mercer asked with a growl.
"She and the cooking staff saved our asses because that Dante guy was going to kill us. All of us," Lance said as he looked at the kids and Dog. "They left, but she can't go because he is her husband."
"What will he do to her?" Maggie asked.
"Seeing how this isn't the first time she and the staff betrayed him, …."
"When was the first time?" Negan asked.
"It turns out she and the staff helped Daryl and Caroline escape when Trask brought them here. Anyway… Her husband told them he'd kill them if they did it again."
"Please! You have to go!" Nanette pleaded in French.
"She wants us to go," Lance translated.
"Only if she goes with us," Carol said.
"We want you to go with us," Lance said to Nanette and her eyes widened.
"You will keep me safe?" Nanette asked in French and he nodded. Smiling, Nanette opened the back door and they walked outside. She closed the door when they heard a soft growling and Negan saw three Macabre crouching on the fire escape railings above them.
"You have to be kidding me," Negan said and they looked up.
"Children," Nanette said in English as she motioned for Judith, RJ and Hershel to hide with her behind the crates and they ran to her. Dog followed the kids while the others armed themselves with their weapons and the Macabre growled.
The first Macabre was male with long, brown hair and brown eyes and the right side of his face under his eye was missing. Dried blood was on his gray shirt and holes were in the knees of his jeans. He had black leather sandals on his feet and he was missing two fingers on his left hand.
The second Macabre was male with a bald head and gray eyes and he had a large bite mark on his left shoulder. Dried blood was on his white muscle shirt and he was wearing black shorts. He was barefoot and he had long scratches on his legs.
The third Macabre was female with short blonde hair and green eyes and the right side of her throat was torn. Dried blood was on her light pink ballet costume and tutu and one of her dance shoes was missing.
"Now those are nasty looking Walkers," Negan said and he and Maggie aimed the guns with silencers at the first male Macabre.
"They call those things "Macabre"," Dawsons said as he aimed his gun with a silencer.
"Just shoot them," Mercer said, aiming his rifle.
The Macabre growled then launched off the fire escape railing and Nanette watched while Carol, Mike, Dawson, Negan, Maggie, Mercer and Hornsby fired their weapons. The Macabre fell to the ground after their heads exploded and Carol, Mike, Dawson, Negan, Maggie, Mercer and Hornsby put their weapons away.
"Hurry!" Nanette said as she signaled for them to follow her and they headed down the alleyway. She looked around the corner then back at them and nodded. They headed out as some Macabre moved down the other side of the street and Maggie noticed one or two of the Macabre looked like they were trapped in a box.
"Why are they doing that?" Maggie asked and Hornsby looked at the Macabre.
"Oh great. Mime Walkers," Lance said with a sigh.
"What's so bad about that?" Carol asked.
"Mimes don't make a sound. Imagine a Walker who can do that."
A cold chill moved through her as Carol nodded and they headed down the sidewalk. Nanette led them for a few blocks when she stopped at an iron door and she pushed the button on the panel near the iron door. Mercer, Negan and Maggie kept an eye on the Macabre while the iron door opened slightly and Nanette whispered to the man with dark hair. The man looked at Carol, Mike, Dawson, Negan, Maggie, Mercer, Hornsby, RJ, Hershel, Dog and Judith when he stood back and opened the door a little wider.
"This way!" Nanette said in French as she motioned for them to go inside and they headed inside.
Carol noticed the iron bars on the windows, the mattress, sleeping bags and camping cots scattered around the room and a small kitchen was at the back of the room. A long, wooden table was to the right of the room and long, wooden benches were on either side of the table. The lights on the ceiling hummed and Carol saw the generator in the right corner.
"Why are we here?" Lance asked in French while looking at Nanette.
"This is a safe place. Now, please, have something to eat," Nanette explained in French as she pointed to the long, wooden table.
"She says this is a safe place and we're to go have something to eat," Lance explained.
They headed for the table as they sat down on the benches and Dog settled down next to Carol. Nanette had gone to get them some food, milk and wine and some food for Dog as she served the food and they started eating. Carol noticed how happy the people gathered around them were when she thought about Daryl and Caroline and she looked toward the barred windows.
Barcelona, Spain
The motorcycles moved down the road while Daryl led the way and he tried to find a place for them to spend the night. He saw lights on in a tan color, three story building and he steered the motorcycle into the small parking area. Connor and Caroline steered the motorcycles after him when the motorcycles came to a stop and Daryl, Connor, Caroline, Katherine and Murphy got off the motorcycles.
"Think it's safe?" Caroline asked while looking at her brother.
"Dunno," Daryl said.
They walked to the iron door and Daryl pushed the button on the panel near the door. Connor, Katherine and Murphy joined them as the door opened and a young woman with dark eyes and black hair looked at them. She was wearing a body armor vest, a white tunic, jeans and leather boots up to her knees.
"Hello. How may I help you?" the young woman asked in Spanish.
"Hello. We're travelin' and are wondin' if this is an inn," Caroline said in Spanish.
"Yes. it is."
"Do you have three rooms for rent?"
"Yes. But I must go ask Ferlix for permission to let you come in," she said and closed the door. Daryl looked at the door then at the others and Connor frowned.
"This might be a bad idea," Connor said.
"I agree," Murphy said.
The door opened when a tall man with dark hair with gray and white hair and dark eyes stood in the doorway and he wore a body armor vest, a black tunic, black pants and black leather boots. He had a rifle strapped on his back and he gave them a hard look.
"What do you want?" Felix asked in Spanish.
"We're lookin' fer rooms," Caroline said in Spanish.
"We don't allow strangers to come in."
"Do you know anywhere where we can find rooms?"
"No."
Felix slammed the door as they looked at each other and Daryl frowned.
"So much for that," Katherine said.
"Let's go," Daryl said and they headed for the motorcycles. They got on the motorcycles after Daryl, Connor and Caroline started the engines and the motorcycles headed down the road. Caroline could feel the frustration coming from Daryl while she steered the motorcycle next to his motorcycle and he glanced at her. She crossed her eyes as he snorted a laugh then she steered the motorcycle in front of his motorcycle. Connor moved the motorcycle toward Caroline's motorcycle when he heard something and turned the motorcycle around then stopped.
"What's wrong?" Katherine asked.
"Dunno," Connor said while Daryl and Caroline's motorcycles came to stop next to his motorcycle and they looked at Connor.
"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked.
"I heard…."
Suddenly, a large tractor trailer truck came speeding down the road and was moving from one side of the road to the other.
"Move!" Daryl shouted and they moved the motorcycles to the side of the road. The large tractor trailer truck swerved along the road then the trailer snapped off the cab, slammed to the ground and sparks flew through the air while the trailer headed for them. Daryl, Connor and Caroline steered the motorcycles down the side of the hill as the trailer tumbled after them and they steered the motorcycles to the trees. They watched the trailer tumbling down the hill then they steered the motorcycles up the hill and Daryl saw the cab of the large tractor trailer truck sitting at the side of the road.
"Don't even think it," Caroline said after Daryl headed for the cab of the large tractor trailer truck. They watched when the driver's side door opened and a male Walker tumbled to the ground. The Walker was wearing a tattered jumpsuit, work boots and leather gloves and the left side of his face was missing. His blonde hair was sticking up and dried blood covered most of the front of the jumpsuit.
"You gotta be kiddin'," Daryl grumbled.
"Where did they learn how t'drive?!" Murphy asked with wide eyes.
Daryl and Caroline stood next to each other as they aimed the crossbows and the Walker stumbled toward them. Daryl and Caroline fired the crossbows when one crossbow bolt hit the Walker in the chest and the other crossbow bolt hit the Walker in the forehead. The body fell to the ground when a loud explosion made them hit the ground and cover their heads. A few seconds later, they stood up and saw the smoke floating up from the bottom of the hill. Daryl and Caroline went to get the crossbow bolts back then walked back to the motorcycles and Daryl, Caroline, Connor, Murphy and Katherine got back on the motorcycles.
"Let's go," Daryl grumbled. They steered the motorcycles down the road while Daryl flexed his fingers and he frowned.
Later that night, Daryl had found another inn for them to spend the night as he stood near the stair railing and he leaned on the railing. He watched Caroline, Connor and Katherine talking with some of the people near the bar while Murphy walked closer and stood next to him.
"Here," Murphy said as he held out a pack of cigarettes in his right hand and Daryl removed one of the cigarettes. Daryl used his lighter to light the cigarette as he started smoking the cigarette and Murphy had lit another cigarette with his own lighter. Murphy looked down at Caroline when a man with dark hair and eyes headed for her and Murphy nudged Daryl. Daryl saw the man as the man smiled, but the man stopped smiling after Caroline removed the knife from the holster on her belt, tossed the knife and the knife landed inches away from his feet. The man quickly backed up while the people laughed and Caroline went to pick up the knife.
"She is such a badass," Murphy said with a laugh.
"Yeah. She is," Daryl said as she looked up at them and he smiled.