"I was telling the truth about having food poisoning on the day they went out on that run. Chandler and Peter's dad joked about me being lazy because I had gone on runs while I was sick or injured before. Why was this time so different? I… I was on my cycle as well," she said. Katherine and Caroline softly laughed as Daryl, Murphy and Connor gave them puzzled looks and Caroline whispered in Murphy's ear then Daryl's ear and Kathrine whispered in Connor's ear. Claudia felt the blush moving across her cheeks and she cleared her throat. "I laughed and told him to fuck off after he pretended to be sick. I also told him he shouldn't go and leave us without a leader. He assured me he'd be fine. The same with Mark and Nikki's dad when I told him he should stay behind. They left. We got this call on the radio a half an hour later. Their party were under attack by those things. Mark and Nikki's father and Chandler and Peter's mother were dead and those things were eating them. They were told to retreat. When they came back? He looked like that," Claudia said while looking at the first cell.
"Christ," Murphy whispered.
"Lord's name," Connor whispered and Murphy nodded.
"Who drove them home?" Caroline asked.
"Mark and Nikki's mom. She nearly crashed the truck into the gate. He was dead and she died shortly afterwards," Claudia said.
"Why didn't you kill them before they turned?" Katherine asked.
"Doctor Becker told us he'd handle it."
"Who is Doctor Becker?" Caroline asked.
"He was Chandler and Peter's dad's assistant. A real creep. No one liked him."
"Where is Doctor Becker?" Daryl asked.
"He left two days ago," she said and Daryl felt like she was hiding something.
"Was that 'round th'time you found these two?" Murphy asked as he looked at the cells.
"Yes. He had put them in there after they turned."
Caroline started looking around the room when she saw the security cameras mounted on the ceiling as well as the vents and she looked at the console near the sliding doors. Daryl felt the confusion coming from his sister. He walked to her when Caroline looked at the screens and he tapped her left shoulder.
"Find somethin'?" Daryl asked.
"Not sure. I think the lights in here are on a timer," she said, looking up at the lights.
"So?"
Caroline walked to the vent as she looked up, turned and looked at the cells. She thought back to how Chandler was acting and how Nikki wanted her mama.
"Let me ask you something. Wouldn't they have told Nikki that her mama was dead?" Caroline whispered after Daryl walked to her.
"Yeah. They would have told her. Why?" he asked.
"Well…," she whispered as she walked by the vents and he followed her. She stopped when she looked at him then placed her hands on her hips. "She was calling fer her mama. The only reason she would do that is if she knew her mama was still alive. Sort of. And I think I know why it's so hard for them to find the kids. The kids are using the vents to get from one place to another."
"The vents?" he whispered as he looked at the vent.
"Think about it. Chandler and Peter's dad ran this place. Which means those kids would be able to go almost anywhere. They would also have seen the plans and learn where all the exits, entrances and access areas are. Imagine crawlin' around in those vents and findin' this room."
"They wouldn't be able to see anythin'."
"Unless the lights came on."
"You think that's what happened?"
"Yes."
"Excuse me. What are you two doing over there?" Claudia asked.
Daryl and Caroline walked to her as Murphy walked to Caroline and he saw the worry in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Murphy whispered to Caroline.
"I'll tell you later," Caroline whispered.
"We were just lookin' around," Daryl said to Claudia and she gave him a suspicious look.
"We have to go," Claudia said and she headed for the sliding doors. The sliding doors opened as she left the room and they followed her. The sliding doors closed as the lights started fading and the Walkers paced the cells.
In the hallway, Claudia led them into a room with a large, white metal table at the center of the room and an unbreakable glass wall was to their left. A large screen was on the right wall and computers were at the back of the room. Claudia walked to the large, white metal table as she turned to them and she motioned for them to come closer. They walked to the large, white metal table as she placed the palm of her hands on the table and she frowned.
"You know something? I'm starting to think you guys are lying to me about why you're really here," Claudia said.
"We showed you the letter," Katherine said.
"Anyone could have written that."
Claudia backed up slightly from the cold look in Murphy and Connor's eyes and Daryl went to stand between them.
"Calm down," Daryl said to Connor and Murphy then he looked at Claudia. "Look. Just give us the information Doctor Du Monte mentioned in his letter and we're outta here."
"I can't give you the information. For all I know? You're working for Doctor Becker," Claudia said.
"Why would he want the information?"
"We broke into Becker's lab after he left. Turns out he was… He was using this place to do certain…experiments."
"Are you saying he was experimenting on…? On those things?" Katherine asked.
"Yes. He wanted to find out why some of them were stronger, faster, more agile and smarter than the rest of them. He also thought, by harnessing whatever it was, he could make us just like them. Not undead. Just stronger, faster and more agile. Put us on an even playing field."
"Shit," Caroline whispered.
"Why did he leave?" Daryl asked.
"Jeffrey caught him on the security cameras doing one of his experiments. He alerted me and I told Security to capture Becker. They confronted Becker, but he got away."
"Who's Jeffrey?" Connor asked.
"He is my second-in-command."
Daryl heard something else in her voice as Claudia sighed and Daryl glanced at Caroline. She had heard something as well and she barely nodded her head.
"Where is Jeffrey?" Katherine asked.
"He's out looking for Becker."
"When was the last time you heard from him?" Caroline asked.
"He checked in a few hours ago then went silent."
"Am I right in thinkin' you think this Becker asshole got hold of him and sent us t'get th'information? Connor asked.
"Did he?"
"No," Daryl said and Claudia heard a small growl in his voice.
"This is getting us nowhere. Let's go," Katherine said.
"I can't allow you leave," Claudia said.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you are our prisoners."
"You can't do this."
"Yes. I can."
"Lady, you have no idea who you're messin' with," Caroline said, removing the crossbow from her back and she pointed the crossbow at her.
"Stand down," Daryl grumbled as he looked at his sister. He had seen Connor and Murphy heading behind Claudia and removed the guns from the inner pockets of their black Navy pea coats. They armed the guns, pointed the guns at the back of her head and Claudia turned to look at them.
"Who are you people?" Claudia demanded.
"Ever hear of Bishop and Cardinal?" Katherine asked and Claudia turned to look at her.
"Yeah. They're some sort of vigilantes. Last I heard? They were in Paris," Claudia said when she realizes who Connor and Murphy were and she frowned. "Security is going to be here any minute."
Daryl glanced over at the security cameras and he saw the red light was off. He then looked over at the vent cover when he thought he saw something roll out onto the floor and a small, metal canister landed near the large, white metal table. The vent cover screen closed and Daryl moved away from the table.
"Run!" Daryl shouted as they headed for the sliding doors and the sliding doors opened just as a loud bang filled the air. A loud ringing in their ears and blurry vision made it hard to leave the room or go down the hallway and Daryl shook his head clear. He walked to Caroline, who was sitting against the wall with the crossbow next to her right hand. He knelt down on his haunches as she blinked her eyes clear and she looked at him.
Are you ok? he signed.
Yeah. Are you ok? she signed.
Yeah.
What happened?
The kids were in the vents. I saw the vent cover open and one of the kids rolled a flash bang into the room.
Why?
To help us get away.
Where do you think they got a flash bang?
The same place where they got the smoke bomb. The armory.
"What the hell was that!?" Claudia demanded as the ringing in her ears faded.
"That was those kids," Daryl said while the guards ran to them and the guards pointed their weapons at them.
"What do you mean it was the kids?" Claudia asked and the door to the room they were in opened.
"Gotcha," Peter said while he, Mark, Nikki and Chandler walked out of the room. Chandler helped Peter remove the earplugs he had in his ears then he helped Nikki and Mark. He removed the earplugs in his ears and placed the earplugs in the pockets of his jeans.
"No. You didn't," Mark said then looked at Chandler. "Told you he shoulda tossed it sooner."
"Shut it," Chandler said with a growl.
"Hey," Daryl said as he walked to them and he leaned down enough to lock eyes with Chandler. "Where did you get a flash bang?"
"Got it from the armory," Peter said and Chandler glared at him.
"Why did you set it off?" Daryl asked as he looked at Peter.
"We didn't want her to take you prisoner," Mark said, looking at Claudia.
Looks like you were right, Caroline signed to Daryl and he barely nodded his head.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! What if you picked up the wrong grenade? You could have killed us," Claudia shouted as she waved her arms in the air.
"I know which is which," Peter said with a smug look then he looked at Daryl. "Mom was in the Army. She taught me a lot about weapons and explosives."
"Mama was a school teacher. She knows a lotta languages. I do, too," Nikki said while walking to Murphy and he picked her up then held her in his arms. She placed her right cheek on his left shoulder and she held Ebony against her chest.
"Dad was the one who knew shit about computers," Mark said.
"Watch yer mouth," Murphy warned and Mark nodded, walking to stand next to him.
"Sorry."
"You gonna give 'em what they want and let 'em go or what?" Chandler asked while turning to look at Claudia and Connor stood behind him and Peter.
"No. I'm not," Claudia said as she looked at the guards. "Take them to the holding cell."
"All of them?" the guard asked.
"Yes!"
They watched her walking away while the guards moved closer and Daryl and Connor placed Mark, Chandler and Peter behind them. Murphy felt Nikki shaking as she started crying and the guards saw the dark look in Murphy's eyes.
"Now look at what you did," Murphy said with a growl and Caroline went to stand next to him.
"Yeah. Nice going, Asshole," Chandler said.
"Chandler," Connor said with a tone Chandler recognized as how his father sounded when he got angry and Chandler sighed.
"Move!" the guard said, motioning with the rifle for them to start walking.
"Let's go," Daryl said, picking up Mark.
"Assholes," Connor said, picking up Peter.
The guards moved aside as they walked by the guards and Chandler walked next to Connor. Katherine and Caroline took the rear while Murphy softly hushed a crying Nikki and he rubbed her back. They went down the stairs to the first floor and the guards pointed to their left. They followed the guards when Chandler reached into the pockets of his jeans and Daryl glanced down at him. Chandler barely smiled and Daryl wondered what he was up to. The guards led them around a corner as they walked down the hallway then they stopped at a door.
"Don't try anything," the guard said.
"Wouldn't think of it," Katherine said, rolling her eyes.
The guard pushed the buttons on the panel near the sliding doors, but the light on the panel stayed red and the guard frowned. He tried three more times as he pounded his fist against the wall and Mark pointed for Daryl to put him down. Daryl lowered Mark to his feet and Mark walked to the guard.
"Please move," Mark said.
"Go back to the others," the guard said as he slid his right hand over the handle of the gun in the holster on his right hip.
"Ok…," Mark said iwht a smug look. "But you're not gonna be able to open the door."
"Why?"
"I changed the passwords this morning."
"You what?!"
"No wonder we couldn't get outta the barracks," one of the guards grumbled.
"It was funny watching you on the security cameras while you were trying to get the doors open," Mark said with a smile.
"That wasn't very nice," Caroline said and Mark saw a look in her eyes like his mother used to have when she caught him doing something wrong.
"Sorry."
Mark walked to Daryl and Daryl placed his right hand on Mark's left shoulder.
"Are you gonna let him open the door or are you gonna let us go?" Chandler said with a bored look.
"Open the door," the guard said. Daryl looked down at Mark then nodded and Mark walked to the panel. He motioned for the guards to turn around and the guards turned their backs. Mark pushed the buttons when the light on the panel turned green and the sliding doors hissed open. The guards turned around and one of the guards pointed for them to go inside. Daryl led the way as they walked in the room and the guard flicked the switch to turn the lights on.
"Nice," Daryl grumbled while looking at the wooden table, four wooden chairs and four cots and the security cameras were on the ceiling. A toilet was in one corner with a sink next to the toilet and small vents were high up on the walls. The guard closed the door and a soft click of the guard locking the door came from behind the door. Murphy walked to one of the cots, sat on the cot and held Nikki against his chest. She sniffed and whimpered and Connor could feel the anger coming from his brother.
"Any idea on how to get outta here?" Caroline asked Daryl and Daryl looked up at the security camera.
"Nope," Daryl grumbled. He noticed Chandler had removed something that looked like a handheld video game player out of the pocket of his denim jacket and Chandler was facing with his back to the security camera. "What is he doin'?"
"Dunno."
Chandler placed what he had in his hands back in the pocket of his denim jacket when he walked to the sliding doors and the sliding doors opened.
"How th'…? How did you do that?" Connor asked as he walked to Chandler and Chandler smiled.
"Just did an override on the keypad then I programed the computer to loop the security cameras. As far as those assholes are concerned? We're still in there," Chandler said.
"Just how smart are these kids?" Katherine whispered to Caroline and Caroline shrugged.
"Let's go," Daryl said while Murphy carefully got off the bed and they left the room. Daryl checked the hallway for guards, but the hallway was empty and he frowned.
"This way," Chandler said and they walked down the hallway.
"Where are we going?" Katherine asked.
"You'll see," Peter said with a grin and took hold of Connor's right hand. Connor looked down at him as Peter smiled up at him and Connor wrapped their fingers together.
Chandler led the way when he stopped, looked around the corner then nodded. They walked down the hallway when Chandler held up his right hand then pointed to the door near the staircase. Mark walked to the door with SECURITY PERSONNEL ONLY painted in black paint on it and he pushed the buttons on the panel near the door. After the light on the top of the panel turned green, Chandler opened the door after Daryl checked for guards and they went inside. The door closed and locked behind them as the lights came on and Daryl wondered where they were going.
"Chandler and Peter Ferguson recognized. Mark and Nichole Rogers recognized. Authorization for guests approved," a female computer voice said and Chandler led them down the hallway. They came to the sliding doors when Mark walked to the panel next to the door and he pushed the buttons. The light on the top of the panel turned green and the sliding doors opened. They walked inside the room as the lights clicked on and the sliding doors closed.
"Damn," Daryl whispered and Caroline nodded.
The large room spread out in multiple directions. Computer consoles with video monitors were to the left of the room and high back chairs were in front of the consoles. Computers against the walls faced them and a large video screen showing the lab's ventilation system was in the middle of the computers. A large, white metal table was in the middle of the room with piles of books, comic books, toys and backpacks on the top of the table. Down a small hallway was a kitchen with a large pantry, storage closets and a large, dark wood table and chairs. Down another small hallway was a family room, armory, a small clinic and another storage room. Down the main hallway was the bedrooms, research labs and smaller bathrooms. The lights, sprinklers and small vents were in the ceiling and security camera were in the corners on the ceiling.
Katherine walked to the consoles as she looked at the video monitors and Mark followed her. She checked the monitors as he climbed up onto one of the high back chairs and she glanced at him.
"Does this cover the entire building?" she asked.
"Yeah," Mark said as he typed on the keyboard and the screen showing Claudia's office appeared on the large center screen. "That's how we knew where you were."
Murphy placed Nikki on her feet when she headed for the kitchen and he and Caroline followed her. Connor placed Peter on his feet as Peter and Chandler headed for the computer consoles and Connor and Daryl followed them.
"Anyone follow us?" Chandler asked.
"Nope," Mark said with a shake of his head.
"Who built all this?" Daryl asked.
"Our parents," Peter said as he got in the high back chair.
"They wanted their own place to do their research," Chandler said, sitting on the high back chair.
"Where do you get supplies, water or food?" Connor asked.
"From the storage rooms, the kitchen or we go hunting. We also have our own water supply"
"Who taught you to hunt?" Daryl asked.
"Our dads," Peter said.
"And you use the vents to get from one place to another," Katherine said after she walked to the large video screen.
"Yeah," Chandler said, looking back at her.
"What're you lookin' at?" Connor asked while he stood next to Peter while he looked at a screen.
"Just checking on Jeffrey's tracking device," Peter said.
"You know where he is?" Daryl asked and looked at the screen. A green dot was blinking on what looked like a map and JEFFREY shimmered in green letters over the dot.
"Yeah. The problem is the signal only has a ten-mile range," Chandler said.
"Are you sure he didn't lose it or dropped it?"
"Can't. It was implanted in his arm."
"Who implanted it?"
"Dad," Peter said with a sigh.
"Does everyone have one implanted in their arms?"
"Just the grown-ups," Chandler said.
"That's how they were able to find…," Peter said then paused.
"They found which one of those things who ate your parents?" Katherine asked and the boys nodded.
"Why didn't you tell Claudia where he is?" Daryl asked.
"Didn't wanna," Mark said while Murphy, Caroline and Nikki walked out of the kitchen and Nikki was eating some banana chips from a packet she was holding.
"What's goin' on?" Caroline asked.
"We found Jeffrey," Connor said and Murphy, Caroline and Nikki headed for the consoles. They looked at the screen when the green dot started moving and Chandler wrote down where the green dot was going on the notepad on the console.
"He's heading back this way," Chandler said.
"Do you know when he'll get here?" Katherine asked.
"Nope."
Mark typed on the keyboard as they watched the green dot then the green dot stopped moving and three white dots appeared.
"Uh oh," Nikki said.
"It's ok. We've seen those dots before," Peter said and the white dots vanished. "See?"
"What do those white dots mean?" Caroline asked.
"He ran into those things," Mark said.
The green dot moved again as the green dot changed direction and more white dots appeared. The green dot moved again then vanished and Daryl frowned.
"Where did he go?" Daryl asked.
"Hold on," Mark said. He typed on the keyboard and the green dot barely appeared on the screen. The white dots moved away as they watched the screen then the green dot grew brighter.
"Looks like he got into the car he took when he left," Chandler said and the green light started moving again.
"Attention: Unidentified vehicles approaching," the female computer voice said. Mark checked the video monitors when he put the outside security camera image on the large center screen. Several trucks were coming down the road as Daryl leaned on the edge of the console and crossed his arms over his chest.
"This day keeps gettin' better and better," Daryl said and he looked at the video screen.
Mark typed on the keyboard as the images on the large center screen was surrounded by a blue grid and images of vehicles scrolled on the screen. The images stopped when information appeared on the large center screen and Chandler blinked his eyes.
"It's one of the delivery fleets," Chandler said.
"Were you expecting any deliveries?" Daryl asked.
"Nope."
"Can you open up a communications channel to Claudia's office?" Katherine asked.
"Yep. But we don't want her tracing the signal."
"Great," Caroline said with a sigh.
"I'm hungry" Peter said as he and Mark slid off the high back chairs and headed for the kitchen. Chandler and Nikki went to follow them while Daryl, Caroline, Murphy, Connor and Katherine looked at each other and Daryl frowned, shaking his head. They headed for the kitchen while the information on the large, center screen flickered by and the trucks on the screen headed down the paved road.
Claudia's office
Claudia sat at the large, wooden desk as she looked at the monitor and she watched the images of the holding cell. She had noticed Daryl or one of the others would flicker in and out and she sat up straighter in the high back chair.
"No," she whispered and removed the walkie-talkie off her belt.
"Alexandro, where is your location?" she asked then let go of the button.
"I'm in the canteen. Need something, Chief?" Alexandro's voice asked.
"I need someone to check the holding cell."
"Why?"
"I put those people who arrived a little while ago in there. Along with the brats. I think they broke out."
"If you put those brats in there then I assure you they got out."
"Just go check."
"On it," Alexandro's voice said and she placed the walkie-talkie on her belt.
"Attention: Unidentified vehicles approaching," the female computer voice said as the lights changed red and the sounds of alarms filled the air.
"Chief, this is Fernando in security. We just…," Fernando's voice said over the speakers.
"I heard! Do you have a visual?!" Claudia demanded as she stood and removed the Berretta from the top desk drawer.
"Yeah. It's some of Hernandez' delivery trucks."
"Were there any deliveries scheduled for today?"
"Nope."
"Shit. Knew we should've killed those jerks the moment they arrived at the gate," Claudia whispered and armed the Berretta.
"Orders?" Fernando asked.
"We are full alert. Get everyone armed and in full battle gear," she said and headed for the door.
"What about our guests?"
"If you see them, kill them!"
"On it."
Growling, Claudia walked to the door as she opened the door and left the room.